WASHINGTON, D.C. - Former U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says expanded mail-in voting should be an option this November.

Ridge also refutes President Donald Trump’s claims that it leads to widespread voter fraud.

“You shouldn’t have to make a choice if you are worried about your health or not voting,” Ridge told WENY News during a one-on-one interview.

Ridge, a Republican who served as Homeland Security Secretary from 2003-2005 under President George W. Bush, is now a co-chair of the bipartisan group VoteSafe. The group promotes both in-person and mail-in voting options for this year’s elections due to the coronavirus pandemic.

States nationwide are already ramping up mail-in voting measures due to the pandemic.

Washington Correspondent Matt Knoedler asked Ridge one-on-one about President Trump’s claims that the mail-in option leads to large-scale voter fraud.

“Republicans don’t have an advantage, and Democrats don’t have an advantage,” Ridge assured. “But I’ll tell you this: The parties and the candidate that use it, that max it out, they will have an advantage.”

Data from The Heritage Foundation, a D.C.-based conservative think-tank, diminishes claims of existing widespread fraud. Of the approximately 250 million mail ballots cast nationally over the last 20 years, the group found only 1,285 voter fraud cases in all forms. Just over 200 fraudulent uses of absentee ballots, according to their online database.

Ridge says states are becoming more prepared to process a large number of absentee ballots this November. He doesn’t believe ballot harvesting is a threat, unlike the president. But the big question remains: With a potential surge of mail-in ballots, will we learn the results of the presidential election on election night?

“If you have over 50 percent – or a higher number – of ballots being absentee, we may have to wait a couple of days,” Ridge said.

Analysts project mail-in voting preparations in crucial swing states could shape not only the speed of the results, but the vote itself.  

“Can they get these ballots printed and distributed in time with collection centers and such?” questioned George Washington University political science professor Todd Belt. “I think that’s going to be a real key thing to watch.”

Continuing coverage

On Wednesday, we will be talking once again with former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge. This time, on the coronavirus with an update about Ridge’s work on the Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense, and how their report predicted the virus years ago.