Dear Editor,

I took my mail-in ballot to the post office one morning and requested it be “kept local” as I have done many times before, including the spring primary. The reason I do this is because I have had first class mail take two months to make the round trip to Pittsburgh!

On this day, I was told that this can no longer be done. Interesting timing.

So I walked to the courthouse believing there would be a secure ballot box inside the entrance. I was told there was not one because of potential voter fraud. I think I’m starting to see a pattern. As I walked away toward the voter registration office, I heard “they’re more likely to be exposed to the virus here than if they go to their polling place” which I do not believe is true.

This all smacks of voter suppression to me. Our postal system should be top-notch and safe so that mail-in voting is the gold standard, allowing all votes to be counted regardless of disability, illness, weather, work responsibilities, childcare concerns, age or anything else that could impact in-person voting.

I am hopeful that a change in administration in January will change all of this.

Connie Michell,

Warren