Concerned about absentee ballot fraud? Don't be.

By: Ashley Shaffer, USA TODAY 

USA TODAY's Editorial Board endorsed a candidate for president for the first time. Rush Limbaugh gave a heartfelt update on his cancer battle. And two weeks before Election Day, our investigative team dives into absentee ballot fraud. 

We’ve been hearing a lot about absentee ballot fraud this election year, so we analyzed a conservative foundation's database of fraud cases to get the scoop. What we found? Concerns about absentee ballot fraud aren’t supported by evidence – and it's not an election threat. A deep look at the Heritage Foundation’s Election Fraud database shows that the majority of cases put just a few votes at stake and that the database presents misleading and incomplete information that overstates the number of alleged fraud instances, an investigation by USA TODAY, Columbia Journalism Investigations and the PBS series "Frontline" found. 

• One way absentee ballots could definitely be affected? By people setting ballot drop boxes on fire. (We're looking at you, Los Angeles.) 
• Americans want their vote to count: Here's what voters need to know about their rights.
• New in the polls Tuesday: Race narrows in North Carolina, Florida; voters nationally favor Biden over Trump.

The Editorial Board, independent from the newsroom, endorses Biden

In its 38 years of existence, the nonpartisan USA TODAY Editorial Board has never endorsed a candidate for president or recommended a nominee – until now. The Editorial Board, which is separate from the news department (and The Short List), endorsed Joe Biden for president. "This year, character, competence and credibility are on the ballot ... so, too, is the future of America's democracy," the Editorial Board wrote. Nicole Carroll, USA TODAY's editor-in-chief, explains why the board made the endorsement and how it won’t affect our coverage of either candidate. 

Mike Pence: Reelect Trump to renew America’s promise

In response to the Editorial Board’s decision to endorse Biden for president, Vice President Mike Pence wrote an opposing view for USA TODAY. “When Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president, he launched a movement to restore the promise of America,” Pence wrote. Pence highlighted, among other things, the economy under the Trump administration, tax cuts, trade reform and the president’s support for the military and law enforcement. 

What everyone’s talking about

• The Republican-controlled Senate is set to vote on the reauthorization of the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses.
• “Cheer” star Jerry Harris was warned before his child porn arrest by the owner of a gym featured on “America’s Got Talent,” a lawsuit claims.
• First lady Melania Trump canceled her first campaign rally in months, citing a "lingering cough" from her COVID-19 diagnosis.
• U.S. marshals say they are getting closer to finding Lester Eubanks, a killer on the run for decades.
• Almost two dozen hikers were airlifted to safety after a wildfire broke out in Colorado's San Juan Mountains.
• New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin has been suspended until further notice after it was reported that he exposed himself on a Zoom call.

...  There is more, but you get the picture.

MU2's take:

     Well shit, now that USA Today has come out, so to speak, I can finally get a decent night's sleep.  I mean, I have barely slept at all since that story broke about more votes being counted than voters existed in the voting district under scrutiny.  Down south somewhere I believe.

     But if we are to take the word of someone biased to this extreme that fraud does not exist, we deserve the result of that belief.  This may be the single-most important POTUS election in history.  Not to mention the Senate races.  I feel as if the communist-leaning left have reached an entire generation of vapid children on a level that will change the shape of politics for decades to come.

     It is  a train wreck and I am watching it in slow motion, unable to change its course or slow its progress.  The very thought of democrats in complete power is going to create such a deafening silence that we will all be adversely affected by until long after I have met my maker.

     I truly fear for the species, and this great United States that one fought off the same kind of tyranny that the vapid youth of today believe will save them.  From what I have no idea.