Cherokee Nation Concerned With Security Regarding Absentee Ballots

The Cherokee Nation is addressing voter security concerns for future elections after a man says the absentee ballots aren’t secure.

Voters were concerned they could see through the envelopes. 

Trae Ratliff filed the complaint and is running for Tribal Council in the upcoming election, but says this isn't a political move. It's about the integrity of the Cherokee Nation elections.

When filling out an official election ballot, you have the reasonable expectation of privacy and security, especially when it's sent through the mail.

Ratliff is a candidate in the upcoming general election for Cherokee Nation Tribal Council District 1.

He says he didn't think seeing through the envelope would be possible until he tried it himself.

"You can hold this up to the light and you can see through this. Whereas, if it was a social security card, or a check, or a credit card, it's going to have the pattern in the background. It's going to keep you from holding that up to the light,” Ratliff said. 

He filed a formal complaint which was included in the Tribe’s Election Commission meeting last week. 

The commission tested the security concern behind closed doors.

The Tribe didn’t share the results of the findings, but the committee did come to a resolution.

"The commission has investigated its ability to obtain heavier envelopes for the run off and future elections and has been advised that it's supplier can provide such envelopes,” Commission Chairman Rick Doherty said."

The Cherokee Nation Election Commission says it never received a complaint about the envelopes in prior elections and the envelopes are the same ones used in state and local government elections.

The commission also says it has previously established procedures to ensure once the ballot is received in its office, its secrecy is maintained.

The Cherokee Nation General Election takes place on June 3 so the resolution won't happen before then, but will apply for any run offs and future elections.