We have all seen the news accounts of schools being shut down for fear of election disorder and candidates questioning the legitimacy of the electoral outcome. I think we have forgotten that we are in America and we have held free and fair elections for over 220 years. This year will be no different. I might not like the outcomes of some of the races just as I surely didn’t like some of the nominees both parties chose to offer, but I do not for one moment question whether the outcome of the November 8th elections will be the legitimate will of the American people and in our state elections, the people of Maine.

I do have to chuckle anytime I hear about a conspiracy to alter the vote on either side of the ballot. I do not believe in conspiracy theories because frankly, no one in politics can keep a secret. To add to that, fifty states all running their own elections help safeguard against widespread fraud and error. States and local jurisdictions are responsible for the actual election operations and have implemented a wide array of differing rules and procedures. During a presidential election when well over 100 million votes are cast, the complexity of the system makes rigging the election all but impossible. And remember, no one could keep this a secret.

At our local voting places, look at the safeguards in place. We have bipartisan election observers in the school gyms and fire stations watching to ensure only those eligible and registered to vote can do so. These observers can file challenges to votes that appear suspicious or out of order. If there is a question as to whether a voter can participate, a provisional ballot can be filed that is only accepted once it is deemed to meet the requirements.

Once all the votes in a town or city have been collected, tabulation is also done in full view of election observers. I have watched many vote counts waiting to hear the results for my candidate and media is often there as well. The public is welcome to watch the procedure and I would recommend people go see what our local town clerks and election workers go through each election. After watching our townspeople people and the herculean job they do, especially during Presidential elections with high voter turnout, perhaps people would be more cautious about hurling false accusations of rigged elections.

I am not saying our electoral process is without flaws. It is, after all, run by humans and errors do occur. Sadly, some people may try to get around the safeguards in place. Fortunately, we have a system where results can be challenged when fraud is evident or if the outcome is particularly close. Close elections almost always result in a recount. I have seen several recounts, out of the hundreds that have been held, where the original vote was overturned because of human error in the counting process. Not a conspiracy to defraud the voters but human error. Usually the cause of the tabulation mistake can be determined during the recount and it is easy to see how it happened.

Voters are right to be vigilant because voting is the greatest responsibility we have in a democracy and it should be cherished. But if your candidate comes up short, do not take the easy path of blaming the election process. That is a false answer and begs the real question that should be asked. “Why did my candidate fail” and “what do we need to do next election to select a candidate that can win a majority of the electorate?” Rest assured America’s election process is still working well two centuries later.

Mary E. Small Served 24 years in the Maine Legislature as State Senator and State Representative from Sagadahoc County and Bath.