Gronstal's accusations of voter fraud slanderous

The charge is very serious. If it is a campaign tactic it is no less slanderous. I demand an immediate public apology.

I was quoted in the WOWT report as saying "When you hand [your ballot] to an individual who you do not know, and you don't know whether or not they actually even represent an organization -- you don't know whether or not that absentee ballot is going to make it to the auditor's office." That is absolutely true.

What WOWT left out of the interview was the reason I have concerns about absentee ballot security. On Monday, September 27th I was forwarded a call at the Pottawattamie County Supervisors office from a woman who was concerned why she couldn't mail in her absentee ballot. When I asked her why she thought such a thing, she said she was called and told “don't mail it, we'll come and pick it up.”

As a member of the Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors, the board and I voted unanimously to pay for return postage on all absentee ballots sent out. Pottawattamie County is one of the few Iowa Counties to do so. All a voter needs to do is drop the ballot in the mail. I fail to see how that SUPRESSES voters. If anything we have encouraged voting by making it easier. It also enables voters to mail their ballots directly to the County Auditor and avoid any tampering, voter fraud or misplaced ballots. This is common sense. There are no sealed ballot boxes for absentee ballots on the way to the courthouse. The fewer hands a ballot passes through the better. I believe the only people who should have control of a ballot are the voter, the postal system, County Auditor Marilyn Jo Drake and her staff.

Absentee ballots are a convenient way to vote but inherently insecure. The State of Iowa apparently agrees, and made an attempt to make the process more secure with the requirement that couriers receive government training and provide receipts. But there is still no way to enforce principles of a secret ballot when there is little to no oversight or enforcement with respect to the couriers. As I said in the interview, “They're talking while the person votes. They're campaigning while the vote is actually being made.”

Once again, my concerns are well founded. I encourage people who vote to do so by mailing their ballots directly to the County Auditor via the pre-paid envelope that the county has provided to ensure a safer election. There is no reason couriers are needed to pick up ballots in Pottawattamie County.

I'm surprised that Mr. Gronstal would disagree on any of these points as I am trying to avoid possible voter fraud, protect voters and ensure the integrity of the election system. The Pottawattamie County Board of Supervisors have provided postage. There is no reason for couriers of either party to pick up absentee ballots from voters.

Mr. Gronstal you have accused me of voter fraud. I demand an immediate public apology.

Loren Knauss