National Council on Election Integrity encouraged by unprecedented early voting, says all methods of voting are safe and secure

As early voting in the 2020 election continues to set new records, the National Council on Election Integrity — a bipartisan group of more than 40 government, political, and civic leaders — issued the following statement: 

“It is extremely heartening that more than 40 million people have already cast their ballots and that the country appears to be on pace to break voter turnout records, despite the coronavirus pandemic. Our democracy works best when everyone participates, and it’s an inspiring development that we have already seen nearly five times as many people vote this year compared to the same point during the 2016 election. 

“No matter how you choose to vote — be that by absentee ballot or in-person early or on Election Day — you can have confidence that your vote will be counted and that our election processes are safe and secure. Our elections are being administered and verified in our local communities, overseen by our neighbors who are serving as election judges and trained poll workers — patriots who should be commended for their time and tireless dedication to conducting honest and valid elections.

“While some have attacked the options Americans have to exercise their right to vote, these attacks are not based in fact. There is no evidence of widespread fraud in our elections, and claims about fraud in mail voting have been thoroughly debunked. 

“Attacks on any form of voting, such as voting by mail, are attacks on the integrity of our elections and are not good for the health of our democratic processes. No candidate, on the left or right, should attempt to sow doubt about the integrity of our elections.

“Voters should continue to make their voices heard in the election as early as possible. It’s encouraging to see such high voter turnout across the country, including more than 5 million votes already cast in Texas, more than 3 million votes cast in Florida, more than 2 million votes cast in North Carolina and Georgia, and more than 1 million votes cast in Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. If you have questions about where or how to cast your vote in your state, please visit Vote.org.”

The full list of the more than 40 former elected officials, former Cabinet secretaries, retired military officials, and civic leaders who comprise the National Council on Election Integrity can be found online here.

The National Council on Election Integrity — a bipartisan group of more than 40 former government, political, and civic leaders who are devoted to defending the legitimacy of our elections — is a project of Issue One. The National Council on Election Integrity is sponsoring the Count Every Vote campaign to ensure that every American’s vote is counted.