New York State Senator Jen Metzger (D--Rosendale) has introduced a bill (S8120) requiring the state board of elections to create a vote-by-mail election plan during emergencies, which would allow state residents to cast via U.S. mail June 2020 ballots should the current crisis continue.
Her plan involves all eligible voters receiving and returning ballots through the mail or delivering them to designated locations--just like Oregon, Washington, Hawaii, Utah, and Colorado.
Metzger explained:
"It is just common sense to prepare now if the current public health emergency extends to the June primary and beyond. We need to make sure we have a backup plan in place that protects the health and safety of election workers and voters without sacrificing participation in these important elections."
Metzger's office added:
"[The bill] calls attention to the cumbersome nature of the state's current absentee ballot system, in which voters must first apply to the Board of Elections in order to receive a ballot in the mail. By contrast, in a vote-by-mail system, all eligible voters automatically receive a ballot in the mail without procedural hurdles, and [would be able to] vote by mailing their ballot to the Board of Elections...."
Calling for immediate action, the New York State Elections Commissioners' Association commented in a press release:
"We are facing critical shortages of inspectors and polling places due to the ongoing public health crisis. Over the next week, BOEs (boards of election) will find it almost impossible to meet mission-critical deadlines for testing machines and preparing ballots because of staff shortages due to the ongoing stay-at-home order."
New York State Senator Alessandra Biaggi also introduced her version
New York is by no means alone.
Wisconsin election clerks report scores of requests for mail-in ballots before next month's presidential primary.
More than 111,000 Illinois voters have already cast mail-in ballots.
The current system is not conducive to the present situation.
For one thing, there are too many restrictions.
According to The Guardian:
"Every state in the US allows at least some voters to vote by mail, but restrictions vary widely from state to state. Some states, like Washington and Oregon, conduct their elections entirely by mail. Other states allow voters to request an absentee ballot, but set varying deadlines for when the application and ballot must be received. Several states, including those with upcoming primaries, also have longstanding restrictions on who can use a mail-in ballot, risking millions of votes in the upcoming election."
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