Election officials keeping absentee ballots safe

Thousands of absentee ballots could be cast in Mississippi before Election Day.

ABOUT POSSIBLE VOTER FRAUD HOWSAFE ANDSECURE ARE THOSE BALLOTS BEINGCASTRIGHT NOW.I'M HEARING A LOT OF CONCERNSABOUT PEOPLE WORRYING THE MAILSYSTEM MAKING SURE THEIR BALLOTSARE SECURE MAKING SURE THEIRBALLOTSARE COUNTED.HINDS COUNTY CIRCUIT CLERK ZACHWALLACESAYS MORE 1,300 ABSENTEE BALLOTSHAVE BEEN CAST IN THE FIRST FIVEDAYS.A LINE OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THECLERK'SOFFICE WAITING TO VOTE FRIDAY."FIRST STEP TO KEEPING BALLOTSECURE WE NEED TO MATCH UP THEAPPLICATION AND THE BALLOTENVELOPE TOGETHER.

ONCEWE MATCH THOSE UP WE MAKE SURETHAT IT'S KEYED INTO THE SYSTEMTHAT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED ORRECEIVED FROM THE VOTER."WALLACE SAYS THE BALLOTS INSIDESEALEDENVELOPES ARE SORTED BY PRECINCTTO MAKESURE THEY CAN KEEP TRACK OFTHEM."THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DOING ONADAILY BASIS A ROLLCALL OF ALLTHE BALLOTS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKESURE THERE'S NOTHING MISPLACEDOR NOTHING IS OUT OFPLACE."WALLACE SAYS EVERY NIGHT THEBALLOTS ARE STORED IN A LOCKEDVAULT NEXT TO HISOFFICE."WE ONLY HAVE THREE PEOPLE WITHKEYS IN THE VAULT MYSELF MYSUPERVISOR AND MY MANAGER.

NOOTHER PERSON IS AUTHORIZED TO GOINTO THE VAULT."QUESTIONS ABOUT BALLOT SECURITYCAMEUP SIX YEARS AGO WHEN STATESENATOR CHRISMCDANIEL CHALLENGED LATE USSENATOR THADCOCHRAN IN THE REPUBLICANPRIMARY.MCDANIEL SUPPORTERS GOT LOCKEDIN THEHINDS COUNTY COURTHOUSE PRIMARYNIGHT BEFORE ALL THE BALLOTS HADBEENCOUNTED RAISING QUESTIONS VOTETAMPERING.AN INVESTIGATION FOUND NOEVIDENCE OFWRONGDOING."I DO HAVE AN ALARM SYSTEM IDO HAVE A CAMERA SYSTEM SOTHAT'SNO CONCERN ON MY PART MAKE SURETHE BALLOT STAY SECURE." ABSENTEE BALLOTS WON'T BECOUNTED UNTIL AFTER THE POLLSCLOSE ON ELECTION DAY.ROSS ADAMS 16 WAPT NEWS.LATE THURSDAY NIGHT, A FEDERALJUDGE IN