Special to the
Opelika Observer
Last month, the Public Interest Legal Foundation, in conjunction with various other election experts, formally announced the launch of the National Task Force on Voting by Mail.
Recognized nationally as a “respected expert in the field of election integrity,” Secretary of State John H. Merrill joins a group of national leaders to establish vote by mail standards that will protect the credibility and integrity of the electoral process. He is the only sitting Secretary of State to join the committee.
“As nationwide efforts are currently being made to change the way voters participate in the elections process, it is incumbent on election officials to set up protocols and safeguards to ensure that each and every eligible voter is able to participate in free and fair elections,” Merrill announced.
Other members of the Task Force are Public Interest Legal Foundation Board Members Cleta Mitchell of Foley & Lardner LLP, J. Christian Adams of the Election Law Center, Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation and a former member of the Federal Election Commission, Dr. John Eastman of Chapman University, David Norcross, the Chairman of the RNC’s Standing Committee on Rules, and Bill Davis of Foley & Lardner LLP, Pete Hutchison of Landmark Legal Foundation, former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth J. Blackwell, John Fund of the National Review, among many others.
The group will focus on protecting the opportunity for voters to cast a secret ballot, preventing fraud, intimidation or manipulation when voting and providing the ability for voters to cast their ballots in a way that does not compromise their safety, security or well-being.
“Elections are the foundation of American democracy. I am honored to join my colleagues across the country as we move towards securing the individual state voting process nationwide,” Merrill stated.