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The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/us-election">elections</a> for the post of the President of the United States are due in a few weeks, and the voting has already started in some states.

In the US, the Presidential elections take place every four years and the congressional elections are held every two years.

While the process of nominee selection for one of the most important positions of this world is quite similar to the rest of the developing and developed countries, what is different than the rest is the US’ voting process.

The electoral process involves the selection of candidates, registration of voters and casting the vote.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-how-are-votes-counted-in-the-presidential-election-335422">Also read|&nbsp;US election 2020: How are votes counted in the presidential election?</a>

Unlike other countries, some states in the US have the power to establish their own rules for voting. However, the reason the majority of the states follow the same rules is due to the various restrictions imposed by the federal agencies.

American voters, earlier, were supposed to be of the age of 21 and older. However, later the 26th Amendment to the Constitution changed the legal voting age to 18, and now therefore everyone who is 18-years-old and older is considered to be an adult and eligible to vote. Another very important condition for being an eligible voter is that the person should be a registered US citizen. Anybody who does not hold the US passport and is not a legally registered citizen is not allowed to cast vote, including any other visa holders such as study and work visa.

After being eligible to vote, a citizen has to register with the required authorities. In some states, people have to register through the mail — usually on forms available from the local registrar of voters — and in others, they can go meet the locally appointed officers to finish the process.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-republicans-clash-with-california-officials-over-ballot-boxes-335425">Also read|&nbsp;US election 2020: Republicans clash with California officials over ballot boxes</a>

The registration rules, too, vary from state to state, some allowing citizens to register till a week before the election, while others closing it a few weeks ago.

Every state has different dates for voting, which is very different from the majority of the countries. All states, cities, counties, districts are divided into something labelled as ‘voting districts’, which are basically local precinct where people can go and cast their votes.

On the decided date(s) of the voting, the registered people can go and cast their vote either at the voting booths or drop their mail-in votes at the fixed drop-in points or mail it at the provided address.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-election-2020-indian-americans-overwhelmingly-support-joe-biden-new-poll-shows-335285">Also read|&nbsp;US election 2020: Indian-Americans overwhelmingly support Joe Biden, new poll shows</a>

When all states close voting, the counting of the votes begins, which includes the poll and the mail-in votes. The counting of the votes does not take a very long time. However, that was when majority of the voters were casting votes at the nearest voting booth. This year, however, due to the pandemic, a major increase is being anticipated in the mail-in votes, which can also down the vote-counting process, further leading to a delay in the announcement and swearing-in ceremony.&nbsp;

A delay in the result announcement is something that even the current US President Donald Trump — who is rerunning for the post — has also warned the authorities again. Trump has claimed that the United States Postal Service is not capable of conducting operations on such a high level. However, he has often faced harsh criticism and wrath from his opponents and voters for the lack of trust he has shown in the USPS — often considered to be a pride of the US.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-this-will-end-badly-for-us-elections-result-331339">Experts, and Trump, also believe that the increase in mail-in voting can also increase the manipulation of the voters and their casted votes.</a>

The elections, this year, are scheduled for November 03 and will see the US President Donald Trump and the Democratic candidate and the former Vice President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> fight for the White House.&nbsp;

This year, on December 14, the members of the Electoral College will cast their ballots for president. As per the system, the winner of the each state’s popular vote will earn that state’s electoral votes, which are apportioned by population. The candidate who receives a majority of either 583 (or 270) will inch closer to the finish line.&nbsp;

Then on January 06, 2021, the Congress will meet past noon in Washington to count the electoral votes and declare a winner who will be sworn in for the position along with his running mate at the US Capitol in Washington on January 20.

The elections for the post of the President of the United States are due in a few weeks, and the voting has already started in some states. In the US, the Presidential elections take place every four years and the congressional elections are held every two years.

The elections for the post of the President of the United States are due in a few weeks, and the voting has already started in some states. In the US, the Presidential elections take place every four years and the congressional elections are held every two years. While the process of nominee selection for one of the most important positions of this world is quite similar to the rest of the developing and developed countries, what is different than the rest is the US’ voting process. The electoral process involves the selection of candidates, registration of voters and casting the vote. Also read| US election 2020: How are votes counted in the presidential election? Unlike other countries, some states in the US have the power to establish their own rules for voting. However, the reason the majority of the states follow the same rules is due to the various restrictions imposed by the federal agencies. American voters, earlier, were supposed to be of the age of 21 and older. However, later the 26th Amendment to the Constitution changed the legal voting age to 18, and now therefore everyone who is 18-years-old and older is considered to be an adult and eligible to vote. Another very important condition for being an eligible voter is that the person should be a registered US citizen. Anybody who does not hold the US passport and is not a legally registered citizen is not allowed to cast vote, including any other visa holders such as study and work visa. After being eligible to vote, a citizen has to register with the required authorities. In some states, people have to register through the mail — usually on forms available from the local registrar of voters — and in others, they can go meet the locally appointed officers to finish the process. Also read| US election 2020: Republicans clash with California officials over ballot boxes The registration rules, too, vary from state to state, some allowing citizens to register till a week before the election, while others closing it a few weeks ago. Every state has different dates for voting, which is very different from the majority of the countries. All states, cities, counties, districts are divided into something labelled as ‘voting districts’, which are basically local precinct where people can go and cast their votes. On the decided date(s) of the voting, the registered people can go and cast their vote either at the voting booths or drop their mail-in votes at the fixed drop-in points or mail it at the provided address. Also read| US election 2020: Indian-Americans overwhelmingly support Joe Biden, new poll shows When all states close voting, the counting of the votes begins, which includes the poll and the mail-in votes. The counting of the votes does not take a very long time. However, that was when majority of the voters were casting votes at the nearest voting booth. This year, however, due to the pandemic, a major increase is being anticipated in the mail-in votes, which can also down the vote-counting process, further leading to a delay in the announcement and swearing-in ceremony. A delay in the result announcement is something that even the current US President Donald Trump — who is rerunning for the post — has also warned the authorities again. Trump has claimed that the United States Postal Service is not capable of conducting operations on such a high level. However, he has often faced harsh criticism and wrath from his opponents and voters for the lack of trust he has shown in the USPS — often considered to be a pride of the US. Experts, and Trump, also believe that the increase in mail-in voting can also increase the manipulation of the voters and their casted votes. The elections, this year, are scheduled for November 03 and will see the US President Donald Trump and the Democratic candidate and the former Vice President Joe Biden fight for the White House. This year, on December 14, the members of the Electoral College will cast their ballots for president. As per the system, the winner of the each state’s popular vote will earn that state’s electoral votes, which are apportioned by population. The candidate who receives a majority of either 583 (or 270) will inch closer to the finish line. Then on January 06, 2021, the Congress will meet past noon in Washington to count the electoral votes and declare a winner who will be sworn in for the position along with his running mate at the US Capitol in Washington on January 20.

US election 2020: How the States vote for the Presidential elections

Election experts in the United States fail to see any reason to expect an increase in ballot fraud in November 3 presidential election, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated expressions of doubt on the mail-in voting system.

Voting by mail is not new to the United States -- nearly 1 in 4 voters cast 2016 presidential ballots that way. Routine methods and the decentralised nature of US elections make it very hard to interfere with mailed ballots, experts say.

Mail balloting can help minimise the long lines, faulty voting machines and COVID-19-induced staffing shortages that have plagued some elections this year -- though it has its own share of drawbacks.

SECURITY GUARANTEED

Election experts say it would be nearly impossible for foreign actors to disrupt an election by mailing out fake ballots, a scenario floated by Attorney General William Barr.

For one thing, voters won’t just be selecting a president: They might be choosing candidates for city council, school board and weighing in on ballot initiatives. That can require hundreds of different ballot designs in a single county and the United States has more than 3,000 counties.

Ballots aren’t counted if they aren’t printed on the proper type of paper and don’t include specific technical markings.

States also require voters to sign the outside of their envelope, which they match to a signature on file.

Some 29 states and the District of Columbia allow voters to track their ballots to ensure they are received, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Fourteen states and DC also allow voters to return their ballots by hand if they don’t trust the mail.

Those envelopes are typically opened by a different group of workers than those who scan the ballots. Outside observers are allowed to monitor the process to ensure voter privacy.

Hence, documented cases of mail-ballot fraud are extremely rare.

The conservative Heritage Foundation, which has warned of the risks of mail voting, found 14 cases of attempted mail fraud out of roughly 15.5 million ballots cast in Oregon since that state started conducting elections by mail in 1998.

The most prominent cases of mail fraud have involved campaigns, not voters. North Carolina invalidated the results of a 2018 congressional election after state officials found that a Republican campaign operative had orchestrated a ballot fraud scheme.

Experts say those scenarios can be minimised by nixing requirements -- currently in place in 11 states -- which instruct voters to get at least one witness to sign their return envelopes.

Moreover, a Stanford University study found that participation increased by roughly 2 percentage points in three states that rolled out universal voting by mail from 1996 to 2018. It had no effect on partisan outcome and did not appear to give an advantage to any particular racial, economic or age group.

DRAWBACKS

Like any other voting method, mail balloting has its drawbacks.

States rejected 1% of returned ballots in 2016 for arriving too late, missing signatures or other problems, according to EAC figures -- though that figure was as high as 5% in some states. It can be more difficult to fix errors on mail ballots than on those cast in person, experts say.

Mail ballots can pose additional barriers to those who don’t speak English or have disabilities, and delivery can be problematic on Native American reservations, where residents sometimes don’t have street addresses.

(with inputs from agencies)

Election experts in the United States fail to see any reason to expect an increase in ballot fraud in November 3 presidential election, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated expressions of doubt on the mail-in voting system.

Election experts in the United States fail to see any reason to expect an increase in ballot fraud in November 3 presidential election, despite President Donald Trump’s repeated expressions of doubt on the mail-in voting system. Voting by mail is not new to the United States -- nearly 1 in 4 voters cast 2016 presidential ballots that way. Routine methods and the decentralised nature of US elections make it very hard to interfere with mailed ballots, experts say. Mail balloting can help minimise the long lines, faulty voting machines and COVID-19-induced staffing shortages that have plagued some elections this year -- though it has its own share of drawbacks. SECURITY GUARANTEED Election experts say it would be nearly impossible for foreign actors to disrupt an election by mailing out fake ballots, a scenario floated by Attorney General William Barr. For one thing, voters won’t just be selecting a president: They might be choosing candidates for city council, school board and weighing in on ballot initiatives. That can require hundreds of different ballot designs in a single county and the United States has more than 3,000 counties. Ballots aren’t counted if they aren’t printed on the proper type of paper and don’t include specific technical markings. States also require voters to sign the outside of their envelope, which they match to a signature on file. Some 29 states and the District of Columbia allow voters to track their ballots to ensure they are received, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Fourteen states and DC also allow voters to return their ballots by hand if they don’t trust the mail. Those envelopes are typically opened by a different group of workers than those who scan the ballots. Outside observers are allowed to monitor the process to ensure voter privacy. Hence, documented cases of mail-ballot fraud are extremely rare. The conservative Heritage Foundation, which has warned of the risks of mail voting, found 14 cases of attempted mail fraud out of roughly 15.5 million ballots cast in Oregon since that state started conducting elections by mail in 1998. The most prominent cases of mail fraud have involved campaigns, not voters. North Carolina invalidated the results of a 2018 congressional election after state officials found that a Republican campaign operative had orchestrated a ballot fraud scheme. Experts say those scenarios can be minimised by nixing requirements -- currently in place in 11 states -- which instruct voters to get at least one witness to sign their return envelopes. Moreover, a Stanford University study found that participation increased by roughly 2 percentage points in three states that rolled out universal voting by mail from 1996 to 2018. It had no effect on partisan outcome and did not appear to give an advantage to any particular racial, economic or age group. DRAWBACKS Like any other voting method, mail balloting has its drawbacks. States rejected 1% of returned ballots in 2016 for arriving too late, missing signatures or other problems, according to EAC figures -- though that figure was as high as 5% in some states. It can be more difficult to fix errors on mail ballots than on those cast in person, experts say. Mail ballots can pose additional barriers to those who don’t speak English or have disabilities, and delivery can be problematic on Native American reservations, where residents sometimes don’t have street addresses. (with inputs from agencies)

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