In a recent turn of events that has sparked controversy, the integrity of mail-in voting has once again been called into question.
This comes after three Democrats were accused of manipulating Pennsylvania's online voter registration system in an attempt to "steal the 2021" general election for the Mayor of Millbourne. This incident has reignited the debate over the security of mail-in voting, a topic that has been dismissed by mainstream media outlets as a non-issue.
According to The Federalist, the accused, Mohammed Nurul Hasan, Mohammed Munsur Ali, and Mohammed Rafikul Islam, allegedly conspired to fraudulently register nearly three dozen non-residents of Millbourne through the state's online voter portal. The grand jury indictment states that the trio "changed the voter registration addresses" for these non-residents to "locations within Millbourne." They then allegedly requested mail-in ballots for these individuals, illegally filled them out, and submitted them to the county board of elections.
The indictment further reveals that the voters were assured by Hasan and Ali that they would not face any legal repercussions "as long as they did not vote in another election in November 2021." Despite these alleged fraudulent activities, Hasan lost the election, garnering 138 votes against his opponent's 165.
The method employed by Hasan, Ali, and Islam was straightforward. They exploited the state's online voter registration website, the PAOVR. The indictment reveals that at the time of the May 18, 2021 primary, Millbourne had "approximately 549 registered voters." By the time the general election was held less than six months later, the number had increased to 578. The indictment alleges that "most of the additional registered voters were people who did not live in Millbourne," but had their voter registration addresses changed to Millbourne addresses via the PAOVR website.
The indictment further explains that anyone who accessed the PAOVR website could submit a new voter registration application or edit an existing voter's registration information, provided they knew certain personal identification information about the voter. This allowed the accused to change the voter's name, address, and/or party affiliation, and request a mail-in or absentee ballot.
The indictment also states that "if the person accessing the PAOVR website requested a mail-in or absentee ballot for the voter, such a person could ask for the ballot to be mailed to any address in the world."
As a result of these alleged activities, Hasan, Ali, and Islam were each charged with conspiracy, false information in registering, and fraudulent voter registration.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential vulnerabilities in our voting systems, particularly with regards to mail-in voting. Despite assurances of robust "safeguards," it is clear that the system was exploited by three individuals, undermining the integrity of the 2021 mayoral election.
The fact that such manipulation was possible raises serious concerns about the state's online voting infrastructure and the potential dangers of mass mail-in balloting. This case serves as a wake-up call for a thorough review and potential overhaul of the current voting systems to ensure the preservation of our democratic processes.
Login