Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden proposes nationwide vote-by-mail in response to coronavirus
Source: The Oregonian
Oregonians have been voting by mail for president since 2000. On Wednesday, Oregon Democrat Sen. Ron Wyden proposed allowing all Americans to vote by mail in case of an emergency, and asked for $500 million to help states get ready for any voter disruptions caused by the now-pandemic coronavirus, The Washington Post reports.
The practice of voting by mail has gained popularity across the country since it was passed in Oregon in 1998. According to The Washington Post, one-quarter of all American voters cast their ballots by mail in 2018.
Before coronavirus became a major national concern, more states were becoming interested in vote-by-mail for security and accessibility reasons. The practice leaves fewer vulnerabilities for hackers and doesnt require anyone to take time off of work.
Now, growing concern over the outbreak of COVID-19 has hastened the interest in a nationwide program.
No voter should have to choose between exercising their constitutional right and putting their health at risk, Wyden told The Washington Post. When disaster strikes, the safest route for seniors, individuals with compromised immune systems or other at-risk populations is to provide every voter with a paper ballot they can return by mail or drop-off site."
"This is a nonpartisan, common-sense solution to the very real threat is looming this November, he added.
Read more: https://www.oregonlive.com/coronavirus/2020/03/oregon-sen-ron-wyden-proposes-nationwide-vote-by-mail-in-response-to-coronavirus.html
dubyadiprecession
(5,711 posts)They will be counting votes until early January. We dont need more election follies, do we??
PuppyBismark
(594 posts)Oregon has been doing it since 2000. there are machines that can read the votes and a number of states use paper ballots. This sounds like a gop talking point!
dubyadiprecession
(5,711 posts)You can take off your tinfoil hat now.
CaptYossarian
(6,448 posts)Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker closed quite a few Job Center offices in strategic (blue) locations during the Dubya recession.
DarthDem
(5,255 posts)I believe state elections officials can take action on this as well. And thinking through the politics and demographics of it, I would imagine Republicans should be in agreement as well (not that they are likely to be, as the party of no).
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,001 posts)87 posted on 3/11/2020 by Baldwin77 (They hated Reagan too ! TRUMP TOUGH - AMERICA STRONG)
RockRaven
(14,966 posts)From an election integrity standpoint we should be aiming for universal usage of hand-marked paper ballots, and vote-by-mail gets us there automatically.
Nikki28
(557 posts)won't go for that unless they have someone throwing away the ballets.
rockfordfile
(8,702 posts)Kashkakat v.2.0
(1,752 posts)want to find out what thinking is, how does mailing the votes make system more secure.
If we do things like tax forms, soc security, passport applications by mail = could there actually be a greater degree of security? So it would take several days to get results - that should not be the main criteria when evaluating a voting system. Security is.
Bayard
(22,063 posts)We're already planning on getting our primary mail-in ballots, and will get them for the GE.