Mail-in ballots might help take back democratic system

To the Editor:

With the use of new technology, political parties are becoming more adept at targeting voters using last-minute deceptive phone messages and ads.

We need a plan to take back our elections from those that pervert the process unscrupulously. By allowing citizens to vote at their convenience rather than on a single day, we could erode this power.

Three types of deceptive phone calls were used in this last election. In some cases, people were asked who they were voting for and then if they gave the wrong answer, were told that they would not be allowed to vote because they had requested an absentee ballot that had not been returned. This was a lie meant to keep them from voting.

Voters were asked leading questions such as "If you knew Tester had a gay son, would you still vote for him?" in leading "polls" meant to influence the outcome rather than gather information were prevalent.

Last minute ads that could not be refuted were also a staple of the attempt to control the election. When a politician or party or PAC puts an ad in the newspaper at the last minute, it is impossible for the maligned candidate to set the record straight. This unethical practice diminishes the political process.

What is the solution to the problem of the influence that last-minute phone calls and ads have? Perhaps instead of a day of voting, a month should be allowed for all voters through a mail-in ballot. This would diminish the chance that the lies and last-minute phone calls by unscrupulous parties or PACs would have the influence they do now.

We need to take back our democratic system from those who pervert it.

Eileen Carney