Given the disturbing stories that already have surfaced concerning illegal or highly suspicious voter registration or advance voting practices around the country, all officials responsible for making sure voting laws are upheld should be prepared to deal with many questionable practices come Election Day.

Hopefully these election officials will not tolerate illegal actions and will not be bullied into looking the other way when individuals try to break the law.

Many supposedly well-intentioned lawmakers and others engaged in the voting process have tried to do what they can to make voting “easier and more convenient.” At least that’s what they want the public to believe. Although that may, in some cases, be the result of the changes, the vast majority of these efforts actually have opened the door for increased voter fraud.

For example, there are growing numbers of reports of people offering to pick up advance voting ballots from people’s homes and deliver them to the courthouse. The offer is presented as a service, a convenience, for people taking advantage of the advance ballot option. But what guarantee is there that the ballot will indeed be delivered to the courthouse?

And, in all such cases, even if illegal actions are discovered and proven, that will occur at a future date, after the election is over and the candidate is in office. Nothing more serious than a fine will be imposed if a candidate or his or her supporters are found guilty.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much risk in breaking campaign laws. In the game of politics, winning is all that counts, and it is a sure bet thousands upon thousands of those engaged in partisan politics have been thinking and trying to perfect ways to cheat and engage in illegal voting activity.

Local election officials, including every poll worker, have the responsibility to demand that laws and procedures be followed and not be afraid to stand firm when and if someone tries to skirt the rules.