Voting by mail has become increasingly popular in the last several years. According to the Election Assistance Commission, nearly 40% of U.S. voters chose to vote by mail in the 2016 election. While this form of voting can be convenient, it’s important to make sure your ballot drop box is secure and that you are following all the rules surrounding how you should handle and transport your ballot once you’ve mailed it in or dropped it off at your polling place or designated ballot drop box.
2022 Midterm Elections
The 2022 Midterm Elections are right around the corner, and it’s time for candidates and voters alike to start thinking about how they’ll cast their ballots. For some of us, that means making a trip to our local polling place on election day; however, some states also offer in-person absentee voting (also known as ballot drop boxes) that give people an option for mailing in their ballots prior to election day. Whether you prefer casting your vote in person or dropping it off at a secure ballot drop box depends on where you live, but either way: Have you considered how secure those ballot drops are?
Ballot drop box security is vital because there is always a risk of tampering—especially when ballots are mailed directly to precincts. If someone were able to tamper with them before they reached election officials, it could have major implications for the integrity of our democracy. As such, securing ballot boxes should be a top priority for both local and state governments across America. Thankfully, there are ballot drop manufacturers that take ballot security seriously and do everything possible to ensure the drop box is tamper-proof.
Why Security Matters
If your ballot box is not secure, it could be a tempting target for tampering and fraud. Physical security should always be a priority when voting; if you see something unusual or that makes you feel uncomfortable during or after voting, contact authorities. If fraud occurs at a polling place, someone may change votes from one candidate to another, spoil ballots, prevent anyone from voting at all (by impersonating voters), or may hand out false information about how/where to vote. No matter what type of fraud is committed in your area, there are things you can do as an election official and voter to avoid being targeted for fraudulent activities. Read more about how secure your ballot box should be below!
What Security Features Are Elite?
Most ballot drop boxes on today’s market can be broken into with a screwdriver, hammer or wrench. The key is finding one that has superior security features including 18-gauge stainless steel construction, double locking cam mechanisms, anti-pry door jambs, restricted openings, and more. American Security Cabinets puts the safety and security of your ballots first. If you have any questions about your ballot drop box’s security, give us a call! We would be happy to assist you in purchasing an elite ballot drop box for your elections – American Security Cabinets Ballot Drop Boxes.
With every election comes security concerns. The security of our ballot drop boxes is critical, and we take great measures to ensure that votes are collected safely. Our ballot drops are designed to be tamper-evident and secure, but other manufacturers may not prioritize security as much as we do here at American Security Cabinets. We work hard to ensure that your ballots are safe, secure, tamper-proof, and are loaded with anti-phishing technologies.
American Security Cabinets’ ballot drops are made of 18-gauge stainless steel. The access door has a strong anti-pry door jamb to ensure that no one can break in or pry the door open with a hammer, screw driver, or pry bar. The access door is also equipped with double cam locks for extra security. Each lock is keyed differently so that there must be two people present in order to open the cabinet and one key cannot open the entire cabinet.
Additionally, ASC drop boxes also have a restricted opening so that only one ballot can be inserted at a time and unwanted items such as pop cans or trash cannot be dropped into the box. The restricted opening also opens into a false ledge so that the contents of the drop box cannot be seen from the outside and so that any phishing mechanisms will not be able to be inserted into the drop box itself.
