This is getting ridiculous. At some point we’re going to stop believing that votes make any difference whatsoever. I have a suggestion: states will not announce results until all ballots are in; once the results are announced, no more ballots will be counted. Period. During a recount the only ballots that get recounted are those that were already submitted. This will make it a lot more difficult to know how many ballots need to be “found” and reduce the time frame in which they need to be “found”, making any attempts at covering for losses more obvious.

It’ll also increase the incentive to not lose ballots. And it will end the concern during every election when one precinct always sends in their ballots last (someone has to, after all) and people start thinking they’re waiting to see how many ballots need to be created to give “their” candidate a win. Each precinct will send in their ballots, the totals will be held uncounted until all precincts are in, and then the totals will be counted and made public.

If it turns out that some ballots do go uncounted, the people who lost them should be held accountable, and there should be stiff laws against ballot fraud. But unless we want to end secret ballots the current system is far too open to manipulation. It basically tells anyone who wants to commit fraud exactly how many fraudulent votes they need.