Voting is every American citizen’s most fundamental right – the irrevocable ability to choose the leaders who represent us and to weigh in on major issues facing our communities, our state and our country.

Each ballot displays a voter’s trust in the sanctity of our elections – faith that America’s democratic system remains secure and that each vote will be accurately counted.

But, this year, both the divisive state of politics and the ongoing pandemic raise new concerns and pose unforeseen challenges to the election process.

In an exclusive Spectrum News/Ipsos poll conducted from October 7-15, Floridians shared their preferred method for casting a ballot in 2020 and expressed their level of confidence in the election’s inviolability.

Concerns About Vote-by-Mail Fraud

More than half (58%) of respondents to our Spectrum News/Ipsos poll in Tampa Bay say they’re concerned about the possibility of mail-in voting fraud.

President Trump raised the issue numerous times throughout the campaign, tweeting in May, “There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent. Mail boxes will be robbed, ballots will be forged & even illegally printed out & fraudulently signed.”

The president later clarified his claims with regard to Florida, where all registered voters are eligible to vote by mail but must submit a request before a ballot is mailed to them.

In Nevada, another key swing state, the Associated Press reports every voter automatically received a ballot in the mail.

“Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is Safe and Secure, Tried and True,” the president tweeted in August

Mail-in Voting Fraud Concerns by Political Party

While President Trump decries mail-in voting as a breeding ground for electoral malfeasance, party affiliation proves to be a significant factor in determining a voter’s concern about the possibility of mail-in voting fraud.

More than half of all Florida voters who responded to our Spectrum News/Ipsos poll expressed apprehension, but nearly three-fourths (72%) of Republicans say it’s an issue.

Democrats remain less likely to view mail-in voting as a potential problem, but 42% say they’re concerned about the possibility.

Voter Confidence

The vast majority (86%) of people in Tampa Bay who plan to vote on Election Day in person – and 84% of those casting their ballot early at the polls – are confident their vote will be counted.

But, for those in our area who say they’re voting by mail, the level of confidence is lower. Our Spectrum News/Ipsos poll found 62% believe their ballot will be counted.

That number rises to 72% for voters who plan to drop off their ballot at an election office or polling place.

Preferred Voting Method

With COVID-19 continuing to spread throughout the Sunshine State, a record number of Florida voters (50%) plan to mail in or drop off a ballot, but many (42%) still intend to cast their ballot in person.

As of September 28, 2020, more than five million Floridians had already requested vote-by-mail ballots.

In 2016, the state’s Division of Elections received a total of 3.3 million requests.

The Associated Press reports Democratic politicians enjoy a significant advantage among voters casting ballots from a distance, but analysts expect Republican voters to close the gap at the polls.

Of the 42% of respondents to our Spectrum News/Ipsos poll who plan to vote in person, about four in 10 said they will cast their ballot before Election Day. Early voting in most Florida counties began on October 19, and both Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties reported record-breaking numbers.