Polling Places Are Closing Due To COVID-19. It Could Tip Races In 1 Swing State

[BainsBane]

Everything about the act of voting in 2020 has been shaken by COVID-19. A record number of ballots have been cast early, either by mail or in person. All over the country, sports teams are turning over their arenas to be used as large-scale, socially distanced polling places.

But in some states, the pandemic has also meant a reduction in the number of polling places, a potential roadblock for voters amid a period of already-heightened stress and confusion.

Since the 2016 general election, Iowa has lost 261 polling places, according to an analysis by the Center for Public Integrity, Stateline and NPR. The polling place changes vary across the state; while some counties are able to keep all of their sites open, others must close or consolidate half.

Overall, this affects some 670,000 Iowans, 30% of the state's registered voters. Those affected by the changes overwhelmingly live in the state's urban areas, which reliably vote Democratic. And the closures are happening at a time of multiple competitive races in the state, including the presidential contest.

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/29/928315049/polling-places-are-closing-due-to-covid-19-it-could-tip-races-in-1-swing-state

This doesn't help my anxiety.

[Karadeniz]

1. Voter suppression...since 2016. I'm surprised the ACLU hasn't been on this.

[Silent3]

2. Hopefully most of the Democratic Iowa voters voted early

I just read that not only did Iowa have mail-in voting for this election, but all registered voters were automatically mailed a ballot.

Since Democrats have been taking advantage of mail-in in much larger numbers than Republicans, who knows? Even in urban areas where voting tilts Democratic, the in-person election day voting could be more Republican this time around.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. 93% of Democratic ballots have been returned. 86% for no party affiliation.

But that's only just over half the 2016 total of votes cast, so, still a lot of potential votes.

[greenjar_01]

4. Honestly we should ignore this asinine genre of news story for the duration

The "here's this random thing that will totally affect the election, maybe" story is the most idiotic sort of fear bait a journalist could pitch these days, so of course news is 30% that.

Silly.

[BainsBane]

5. It is in effect a form of voter suppression

and that matters.

[enough]

6. Indeed. NT

[DeminPennswoods]

7. Polling places move, close and are consolidated

more than people realize. My old Phila precinct is on its 2rd different polling place since the original place declined to host after 9/11.