Serious concerns, but sky isn’t falling

The Gazette Editorial Board

As a general rule, Iowans are a common-sense lot. We don't engage in comparative misery and we don't celebrate 'Chicken Little” alarmism. We expect our elected officials to be forthright about problems and transparent in their dealings.

Perhaps this is part of the reason a red flag raised by Linn County Auditor Joel Miller is difficult to ignore.

According to Miller, the state's absentee balloting system recently was compromised by a candidate's campaign worker. The worker delivered two forms, seemingly signed by the same person: one for the individual in question and one on behalf of another household member. The incident has been referred to the sheriff.

On the surface, this situation is concerning, and Miller's statements regarding the incident elevate it to alarming. 'How many more came through our door and we didn't catch them?” Miller asked. 'That it's happened once makes me think it's happened since and will probably happen again before the primary is over.”

Miller advocates 'some sort of system of signature verification” scanner to ensure forms match voter registration signatures.

According to the 2010 Census (the most recent and non-estimated figures), only 48 percent of Iowans of voting age cast a ballot that year. In Linn County, roughly 50 percent voted. Of registered voters in Linn County, there was a 54 percent turnout and, of those who voted, roughly 28 percent, or 22,887, chose to vote early.

To further drill it down, Miller has advocated a verification system to monitor the activity of about 15 percent of the 18-and-up population - before that segment actually sees, much less casts, an election ballot.

The suspicious forms were absentee ballot requests, which are used to ask the auditor to mail a ballot once it becomes available.

Miller is right to warn and educate the public. Yet it is quite clear the sky is not falling.

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