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Mail-in ballots lessen us

In the August 7 paper, Paul Turner hit a homerun: the freedom to vote. But under the guise of a “more people will vote” attitude, we lost it in 2011 to the era of mail-in ballots.

Did those sitting at the round table of wisdom consider over-bearing individuals could dictate, the elderly and the timid while saying to the young voter, “Let me have your ballot. You can’t possibly understand the issues or know the candidates.” How free is this? (And do any of us honestly understand, or completely know all on those voting sheets?)

Yes, as Turner reported, the turnout at the booths was less, but the community of either party coming together as individuals entering a booth with no one looking over their shoulder to vote displayed sheer freedom and our right.

Paul Turner, I’ll gladly sign your petition to reverse this mockery of “mail-ins are secret.”

Readers, truly, think about it.

Sharon L. Reidenbach

Spokane

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