During this election period, more than 44 million Americans have already voted before November 5 by mail.

For many citizens, voting by mail is an essential service to ensure they can exercise their right to vote.

However, in other countries, people are scratching their heads and raising their eyebrows about our voting methods, and pointing out some of the flaws we seem to have missed in the process.

People in other countries find it strange that Americans use ballot boxes to vote.

In 2020, 35% of American voters chose to vote by mail rather than in person at their local polling place.

For many people, mail-in voting was an optimal way to vote since we were in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, according to a Gallup poll26% of Americans still choose to vote by mail, even this year.

Spider

Some mail-in voters have had their rights exercised on social media, sharing photos of themselves in front of their mailboxes and preparing to vote – and people in other countries find it bizarre.

“I’m sorry, Americans… do they just drop their ballot in a random mailbox on the street???? » a user Selena Gomez votes by postal vote.

RELATED: Workers’ bosses threaten layoffs if elections don’t go as they want: ‘They’re trying to scare you and influence your vote’

People in other countries have spoken out about how their voting procedures are different from those in the United States.

“It’s crazy to me because in Australia you have to go to a voting center set up in a primary school, have your name put on a book, then you’re given a ballot which you fill out in a voting booth . ” one person commented.

“In Brazil, you must present an official document with a photo and have your fingerprint scanned,” reveals another.

Citizens in other countries that typically vote in person have argued that mail-in ballots can easily be lost or tampered with, making the process inefficient.

However, Americans assured them that their votes were safe and sound when they mailed them.

“I mean, it’s the same as putting mail in any mailbox. This only concerns ballots. And they’re locked, you can’t see inside or get in without a key,” one X user noted of the mailboxes designated for absentee ballots.

“I would say designating voter mail is safer than just throwing it in a mailbox.”

They also highlighted that there are effective ways to ensure that each person only receives one ballot to avoid double voting and ensure that your vote is counted.

“You can track your ballot after you cast it to make sure it is counted. If there is a problem, you can vote on a provisional ballot on Election Day which will be counted if your absentee ballot is not received,” one X user commented.

RELATED: Mother of three claims poll worker tried to stop her from voting because she brought her children with her to the polling station

For those who still don’t understand how mail-in ballots work in the United States, let’s break it down.

In most statesany registered voter can request to receive a ballot by mail before Election Day. All you have to do is fill out a ballot application and mail it or return it in person to your local election office.

After receiving your ballot, read the instructions carefully to ensure you vote for the candidate of your choice.

You can then seal and return your ballot by visiting your county board of elections, any early voting location in your county, or any Election Day polling location in your county.

There are also designated ballot drop-off locations where you can drop off your votes.

For those worried about voter fraud via mail-in ballots, tampering is rare.

A 2020 report from the Center for Social Policy at the University of New Mexico, the Voting Rights Project at UCLA and the Union of Concerned Scientists have found that mail-in fraud is rare.

For example, an analysis of 2016 election data in Oregon identified 10 instances of fraudulent ballots out of 2 million votes cast.

Your postal vote will likely be counted correctly.

Although some people in other countries may find our voting process a little strange, each nation has its own form of voting that may surprise others.

Australians have barbecues during elections. Greece allows voters to check a box saying “none of the above” if they don’t like either candidate. Until 2017Gambian voters place a glass marble in the colored metal barrel of the candidate for whom they wish to vote.

Although others may view our voting practices as odd, we ultimately have the opportunity to allow voters who cannot vote in person to be able to vote in person. to exercise his right.

RELATED: Canvasser accused nuns of electoral fraud after discovering 53 voters registered at the same address: their convent

Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango covering entertainment & news, self, love & relationships.