Millions of Americans Have Voted, and So Have I

​Large numbers of voters are not waiting until November 3, 2020 to cast their ballots. As of this date over 23 million Americans have voted, and so have I. Like me, most Americans had decided a long time ago who they’d vote for, at least for President. Maybe the pandemic restrictions have focused our minds more acutely on the election this year. Or maybe people are so sick of politics that they just want to vote, and move on with their lives. I fall into both camps. COVID-19 has forced states to change the way that elections are held, and have provided voters with more options. Let’s take a look at some of these new options and I will share my voting experience.

​What’s the Rush to Vote?

• Coronavirus Pandemic: The pandemic has disrupted many aspects of our daily lives, and to make matters worse, it is a presidential election year. Many voters are taking advantage of voting by mail to avoid having to vote in person. Early in-person voting is now available in many states to avoid long lines on November 3rd.
• Presidential Rhetoric: For the past several months, President Trump has unleashed a barrage of disparaging remarks about the legitimacy of the election, particularly the use of mail-in ballots.  He has gone so far as to say that the only way that he can lose is if the election is rigged. Strong stuff, and people have been paying attention. Maybe this rhetoric is backfiring on the president. Americans are casting their ballots early in record numbers, precisely because they fear if they wait too long their vote won’t be counted.
• Doubts About the United States Postal Service: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy (a Trump appointee), implemented several cost cutting measures this summer at the United States Postal Service. This has resulted in delayed mail delivers all over the country. Was this done deliberately to discourage voting by mail? DeJoy denied these allegations at a U.S. Senate hearing. But some voters remain skeptical, prompting many to mail their ballots in early, or to avoid using the Post Office all together.  
• Election Fatigue: With many Americans sheltering in place for the good part of 2020, there has been more time to follow events on TV, social media, and in print. I can speak from personal experience that this has led to voter fatigue. You’d be hard pressed to find an undecided voter, at least for the presidential race. Voters want to cast their ballots so they don’t have to follow the election news as closely. This is probably a good thing for the collective mental health of all of us.   

​​Early Voting: In order to facilitate voting during the pandemic, many states have taken steps to make it easier to register to vote, and have expanded ways to cast a ballot. Early voting of some sort is now available in 43 states and the District of Columbia. Options for early voting include mail-in voting/absentee voting, early in-person voting, and off hours voting, including weekends. For the specifics on each state follow this link: (https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/early-voting-in-state-elections.aspx). 

​Many states now allow voters to vote absentee without having to provide a reason. States like New York that require a valid reason to vote absentee, now consider fear of COVID-19 a valid reason for requesting an absentee ballot.  Some states have sent absentee request forms to all registered voters. California, Nevada, and the District of Columbia have taken it a step further by sending mail-in ballots to all registered voters   (https://www.usnews.com/news/elections/articles/2020-10-16/a-2020-success-story-early-voting-soars-even-as-the-coronavirus-pandemic-rages-on). 

​Voters now have several options once they complete their mail-in ballot. They can use the United States Postal Service, official drop boxes set up by the counties and states, in-person drop off sites, and at polling places once in-person voting begins. Most states will accept mail-in ballots even after election day, as long as they are post marked on or before November 3, 2020. This varies from state to state so check with your local election officials if you are unsure.  Here is a link for the specific rules for each state (https://www.usa.gov/election-office). 

​Reports indicate that Democrats have outvoted Republicans 2 to 1 so far in this 2020 Presidential election (https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54572790). Of these early voting Democrats, women and blacks are voting in high numbers. Republicans may be following President Trump’s lead by not trusting mail-in voting. Democrats may win the early vote, but they shouldn’t become over confident. Republicans will probably show up in large numbers at the polls on November 3, 2020.
   
Pre-processing Early Ballots: How states handle ballots received prior to election day varies widely. It ranges from verifying signatures, opening envelopes, and readying ballots for tabulation. Twenty-two states process mail-in and absentee ballots upon receipt. Another twenty-five states process them starting several weeks, to just hours before election day. Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Alabama, and Mississippi are not allowed to process or count mail-in ballots before election day. The following link provides the specifics for each state: (https://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/vopp-table-16-when-absentee-mail-ballot-processing-and-counting-can-begin.aspx). If the election is close, the delay in processing mail-in and absentee ballots may result in a winner not being known for hours to days after the close of polls on November 3, 2020.  Americans need to be patient and be prepared for a delayed election result. 

​My Voting Experience: I have known for many months how I would cast my vote in the Presidential election, but there were many down ballot candidates, propositions, and measures that needed further consideration. After spending the last several weeks watching news programs, listening to candidate forums (over Zoom of course), reading newspapers, and wading through dozens of election mailers, I sat down and filled out my mail-in ballot this week. In May, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order making all registered voters in the state automatically eligible to vote in the November 3, 2020 General Election by mail. Therefore, every voter in California was mailed a mail-in ballot. The process really got started last month. Here is the time line:

• During the third week of September, I received a postcard from the County Registrar of Voters informing me that my official ballot was coming soon. The post card also provided instructions on how to sign up to track my ballot at every stage of the process. I am now registered through “WheresMyBallot.sos.ca.gov” which is a site powered by Ballot Trax. Voters who sign up for this service will be notified by email, phone, or text when their ballot is mailed out, when their returned ballot is received by the county election office, and when their ballot is accepted and counted.
• On October 5th I received an email from Ballot Trax notifying me that my mail-in ballot had been mailed to me.
• On October 7th I received my mail-in ballot.
• On October 15th I hand delivered my completed ballot to the Registrar of Voters Office.

• ​On October 17th I received an email notification from Ballot Trax that my ballot had been received by the county election office. So far so good!

​If you use a drop box to deliver your ballot, make sure that it is officially sanctioned. In California, official drop boxes must include the county seal and be securely bolted to the ground. The use of unauthorized drop boxes to collect ballots is illegal in California. This has not stopped the GOP from placing unofficial drop boxes in several locations in Southern California. The motives for this are not exactly clear. Threatened with legal action, the GOP has stopped claiming that these drop boxes are official, and is restricting where they can be placed (https://www.npr.org/2020/10/16/923969669/california-eases-off-legal-threats-over-gop-unauthorized-ballot-drop-boxes). Counties publish the sites where sanctioned drop boxes are located. So check with county election officials if you are unsure.

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​When voting by mail it is important to get your ballot in as soon as possible. This leaves time to correct mistakes that sometimes occur, such as a signature that can’t be verified for whatever reason. The more people who vote early, the shorter the lines will be on election day, minimizing the spread of COVID-19. Getting your ballot in early will also ensure that your vote is included in the initial election results which will be reported shortly after the polls close on election day. The sooner the election results are known, the less opportunity there will be to spin a false narrative around the legitimacy of the election.     

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Thanks,
Armchair American