Having just filled out my ballot, I'm reminded once again how wrong I believe the vote-by-mail system is. I'm amazed there aren't people marching and carrying signs on the issue.

We are guaranteed a secret ballot by the Constitution. I believe the vote-by-mail system we've been forced to use these past years is riddled with problems that do not deserve to continue in a free society.

Among the problems, I believe:

1 - Ballots can easily be stolen when delivered. Drive down any rural road. Waiting for the day when ballots are delivered and grabbing some out of mailboxes could be done easily.

2 - The process to correctly fill out and put the ballot in its envelope is a voter suppression mechanism worthy of the Jim Crow era. Remove the stub; put the ballot in white envelope and seal; sign the outer envelope; fold it over in a non-obvious way; put the white envelope inside; seal the outer envelope. I dare someone to run a test at any retirement home. Without help, fewer than 25 percent would be done correctly.

3 - Does anyone believe they actually check the signatures?

4 - A huge percentage of ballots are never counted. You either vote a week early, or your ballot will sit in a bin, waiting for days after the election for it ever to be counted.

5 - Unattended drop boxes could easiy be vandalized.

I would call on the Bellingham Herald to take a strong editorial stance against vote by mail.

Charles Collins

Ferndale