@Applewood
I believe you are confused about this. I have never heard of an instance in the US where someone physically unable to go cast a vote was denied an absentee ballot.
Correct me if I am wrong,but did you not have to produce an ID and voter registration or other proof of voting eligibility to receive the ballot you got in the mail? If you did,you received an absentee ballot.
If you could have gotten a ballot in the mail by just making a phone call and giving your name and address,you received a mail-in ballot.
@sneakypete Let me try this again: In Pennsylvania, one can get an absentee or a mail-in ballot. An absentee ballot would be for those who will not be near their usual polling places on November 3. The mail-in ballot would be for those who physically cannot go to the polls to vote on that date. In both cases one has to apply for the ballot, either online or by mail. A phone call won't get you a mail-in ballot.
The application asks for a driver's license or state ID number. For those of us claiming age or physical impairment as a reason not to vote in person, we must provide contact information for our physician who would verify that the applicant cannot vote in person because of age, disease, disability and so on. I just talked to my doctor's secretary and asked whether he was contacted by the state to verify my health status and was told yes.
Those looking for an absentee ballot will have to provide a valid reason why they cannot be present to vote in person on November 3. The guy who will be working on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico -- I expect he can get an absentee ballot. The guy whom expects to get drunk on November 2 and wake up with a bad hangover on November 3 -- no. By the way, I found out that the military cannot use the standard PA form to apply for an absentee ballot. Apparently, they would use a special federal form.
Now being approved for an absentee or mail-in ballot only applies to the current election. If I want to make receiving a mail-in ballot permanent, I would have to apply for permanent mail-in ballot status.
I agree that mail-in ballots should not be given to anyone and everyone. What I object to are those who would only allow an absentee ballot, but do away with the mail-in ballot entirely. There are some of us who will be in town on election day, but we cannot get to the polls to vote. Denying us the ability to vote by mail would deprive us of our right to vote.