It is each of our jobs, as citizens, to be concerned about the most important issues in this country. Right now, those are voting and how the votes are counted.
I personally believe that voting is important because people died for the right to vote. This is what a democracy is all about. Being able to vote is a way to express your ideas and influence how our country is managed. We grant the power to govern.
This is a particularly funny year because of the virus and the election. We can walk in our ballot, or mail it using a postbox. Most people are concerned about contracting this coronavirus, so they are sending in their votes by mail. Early voting in D.C. doesn’t even begin until Oct. 27, yet the Washington Post reported the board of elections had already received 60,000 ballots on Oct. 15.
The president made unsupported claims that voting by mail could be fraudulent. And after many reports in August of mailboxes being removed and letter-sorting machines being shut down across the country, I was encouraged to see more postboxes on the street recently.
A few years ago, a USPS box was taken off my block and now it’s back. Have you seen any other new ones? Did you see any taken away?
The FBI assures the American public that there won’t be any tampering with the mail. The experts and the Postmaster General assure us that there won’t be a problem with the personnel handling the mail, handling will be prompt.
Ayub Abdul is an artist and vendor with Street Sense.
