Editor,

I feel compelled to respond to Timothy Hazelo’s letter regarding mail-in voting. Sadly, we have yet again an example of a Republican candidate who has lost an election blaming the process itself.

His concern that mail-in voting has caused divisiveness and distrust rings hollow, particularly in relation to a letter published on the same page from multiple candidates noting the fairness and accuracy of the recent election. In fact, it is the baseless claims that Mr. Hazelo spreads of election system dysfunction that stoke the fires of distrust.

Multiple attempts have been made in recent years to undermine and discredit the mail-in voting process. Despite millions of dollars being spent to try to uncover mail-in voter fraud, secretaries of state across party lines in all areas of the country have attested to the rigor applied to verifying mail-ballots and evidence of outright voter fraud is so minimal as to be inconsequential. We do, however, have instances of voters being forced to wait hours in inclement weather to vote, of gun-carrying “poll watchers” intimidating voters, and of voting centers being closed in communities of color, leaving voters no option but to travel long distances to make their voices heard. Does Mr. Hazelo find this preferable to ensuring that every eligible voter can participate in our elections?

Perhaps the party that loses an election should engage more fully in asking themselves why the voting public found their candidates to be less popular than those who won. Maybe the strategy of “I’ll say the election is fair only if I win” is finally losing traction.

Jeff Natter

Langley