In the world of strongly conservative, right-wing and fascist parties, there is a favorite enemy: the postal vote. Why? Because it is the perfect target for sowing distrust in democratic processes and later claiming that everything is rigged and manipulated. A look at the USA under Trump shows how this trick works. But why is postal voting so vehemently torpedoed and maligned? A deeper look reveals the perfidious intentions behind this approach.
First of all, it must be understood that postal voting is a weak point in the eyes of these political groups. It provides a convenient point of attack to sow doubts about the integrity of the electoral system. It is repeatedly claimed that postal voting is susceptible to fraud and manipulation - but without providing solid evidence. The aim is not to actually improve the election, but rather to make it vulnerable. This creates a scenario in which any unpopular election result can be dismissed as illegitimate.
Historical examples provide impressive proof of this approach. In the USA, Trump has masterfully played the narrative of voter fraud in postal voting. Months before the 2020 election, he began sowing doubts that the postal vote was rigged. And lo and behold, when he lost, he fell back on these very accusations. This pattern can also be found in other countries and political systems. The aim is always to undermine democratic legitimacy if the results do not correspond to their own ideas.
Studies and data, however, prove the opposite of the claims made by these political actors. A comprehensive study of absentee voting in the U.S., conducted by the Brennan Center for Justice, found no significant evidence of widespread fraud. Similar data is available from other democratic countries. But such facts are irrelevant to the critics of postal voting - they simply don't fit their narrative.
The end of the story? An increasingly polarized society in which the credibility of democratic elections continues to erode. By talking down postal voting, a dangerous game is being played that will destroy trust in democratic institutions in the long term. If every election is portrayed as potentially rigged, people will lose trust in the democratic system as a whole.
In the end, it remains to be said: postal voting is an essential component of modern democracies that enables many people to cast their vote. To torpedo it just to promote your own political agenda is nothing other than an attack on democracy itself.
That's my opinion and what do you think?
PS: In Saxony, you can already apply for your postal voting documents. Just have a look at the relevant pages of your city and municipality.
