Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate Addresses Trump’s Claims on Overseas Voting Security

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Written By Richard Perdomo

DES MOINES, Iowa Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau – Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate has reassured residents about the security of the overseas voting system amid claims made by former President Donald Trump.

Trump recently alleged, without evidence, that Democrats intend to exploit the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act UOCAVA to send millions of ballots via email to overseas voters, circumventing citizenship and identity verification. Pate refuted these claims, emphasizing that all overseas voters must be American citizens with valid identification, similar to voting in Iowa.

“It’s exactly the same as if you were here voting in Des Moines or Cedar Rapids, Pate stated. You have to be registered to vote, and the difference is they request an absentee ballot from abroad.

While civilians overseas can receive their ballots by email, they must return them by mail. Only military personnel or civilians in designated “Imminent Danger Pay Areas can submit their ballots electronically. Pate clarified that ballots are processed securely, with bipartisan poll workers ensuring their integrity.

Pate expressed concern over the skepticism surrounding UOCAVA, particularly for military personnel who have sacrificed to serve the country. He stressed the importance of enabling these individuals to participate in elections without fear of ballot manipulation.

The controversy has been fueled by a Democratic Party initiative aimed at registering more overseas voters, highlighting that only about 8% of the 9 million Americans living abroad are currently registered to vote. The party stated, This election will be won on the margins, and every vote matters – including those from abroad.

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