Military Families Have Been Voting by Mail for Decades

8/14/20
The ability to cast a ballot from across the world has been an essential tool for the military community to continue participating in democracy. With the limitations on mobility caused by Covid-19, expanding vote-by-mail is essential to enabling participation among civilians this November, just as it has worked for decades for the military. Yet this practice has become politically controversial. Just two weeks ago, President Trump claimed that mail-in voting would make this election “inaccurate & fraudulent” and would be “a great embarrassment to the USA.” This week he used his opposition to vote-by-mail as justification to oppose funding the postal service. But voting by mail shouldn’t be viewed as partisan. During this pandemic, it’s the best way to enable participation in the election while protecting public health. If older or immuno-compromised Americans face higher illness risks from voting in person, some may weigh the cost and not vote. A mail-in option will remove barriers to voting — barriers we’ve overcome living far from our home districts, while our spouses serve in the military.

Some who oppose vote-by-mail fear that it will lead to widespread voter fraud. But not only is all voter fraud extremely rare, but the five states with almost universal vote-by-mail report very little fraud. Others say that vote-by-mail improves outcomes for Democrats, but that’s not always true. Mail-in ballots in Florida arguably helped elect President George W. Bush, a Republican, in 2000. Moreover, many red states have expanded vote-by-mail in recent years. And even in blue states, as the Republican consultant Rob Stutzman has argued, vote-by-mail has helped the G.O.P. At very least, if there are any advantages for Democrats or Republicans, studies show these tend to cancel each other out. Our national, state, and local leaders should resist partisan fear-mongering and support expanding vote-by-mail. If people who put their lives on the line to protect our democracy can agree that no substantial threat is posed by this practice, then politicians, too, should find common ground.

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Rogue Valley said:

Military Families Have Been Voting by Mail for Decades | The New York Times

It’s practical, safe, and nonpartisan.




The U.S. military and their families have been voting by mail in large numbers since the Civil War, Congress has been supporting it these past 150 years, and there have been almost no instances of fraud.

Yet for reasons that Donald Trump can't factually explain, mail-in voting suddenly is fraudulent and a disaster. Sensible folks can see right through Trumps disinformation gobbledygook.

Click to expand...

Rogue Valley said:

Military Families Have Been Voting by Mail for Decades | The New York Times

It’s practical, safe, and nonpartisan.




The U.S. military and their families have been voting by mail in large numbers since the Civil War, Congress has been supporting it these past 150 years, and there have been almost no instances of fraud.

Yet for reasons that Donald Trump can't factually explain, mail-in voting suddenly is fraudulent and a disaster. Sensible folks can see right through Trumps disinformation gobbledygook.

Click to expand...