In this new pandemic environment, voting is going to be very different than it was in the past. Election day is determined by the US Congress, but states determine how citizens vote. Chapter 5, discusses some differences in state voting procedures. Some states, like Florida, allow for early voting but others only allow for voting on election day. The State of Oregon conducts their entire election as vote by mail, while every state has some form of absentee voting.
It seems that due to the Corona Virus that voting by mail may be a good option during the pandemic. However, many people feel that the Postal Service is inefficient and unreliable. Also, some people feel like the Post Office may create more problems that it will solve when it comes to voting. We know that every national election there are tens of thousands of mail in ballots are rejected because they are filled out incorrectly, received after the election date, or don’t have matching signatures. In some states, like Florida, a voter must request a mail in ballot to vote by mail. However, the state of Nevada is considering mailing out a ballot to every registered voter in the state, without a request. These are just some of the problems/issues that state and local governments will be dealing with.
What do you think is the best way to vote during this pandemic? Explain. Do you think that vote by mail is a good/bad idea? Why or why not?
