Mail-in Voting Should be Accessible to All Americans

In June Engage Tuolumne received this announcement from the League of Women Voters:

“At the direction of President Trump, the United States Postal Service (USPS) issued a proposed rule earlier this month that would erect barriers to mail voting. These proposed amendments would create unnecessary barriers to voting that could prevent eligible voters from receiving and returning their mail-in and absentee ballots and could even serve to disenfranchise eligible voters who are unable to vote in person.

“Under the amendments, USPS would need to verify that mailed ballots are only being sent to approved voters on a list supplied by states. This gives USPS a role in election administration that rightfully belongs to state and local election officials. The proposal would also establish mandatory ballot-mail design and tracking requirements, including requiring states to update their mail ballot envelopes to include voter unique ballot-tracking barcodes.

“Everyone agrees that election mail should be secure. But these new federal requirements will create barriers that could prevent eligible voters from receiving and returning their mail-in and absentee ballots in time to be counted. Voting is a fundamental right for citizens that must be guaranteed. Voting by mail is part of that right and is a critical part of the election process throughout the United States.”

Yours in the Fight,

Jessica Jones Capparell
Director, Government Affairs

LATEST UPDATE…

According to CBS News on June 25, “a federal judge in Boston blocked the Trump Administration from enforcing an executive order that would impose stricter ‘mail-in voting rules and create a federal list of eligible voters in every state.’”

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Boston ruled that the President does not have general constitutional authority over elections. States and Congress have the primary authority over the election process. This ruling did not determine that mail voting is constitutionally required, election security measures are unconstitutional, or Congress lacks authority to enact federal elections laws.

So we are not safe yet. Mail-in voting could still be taken away from our citizens at some point. We need to stay informed and vote for people who will protect this necessary method of voting.