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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThere Is No Evidence That Voting By Mail Gives One Party An Advantage
If the coronavirus pandemic rages on, most Americans will probably vote by mail in November. But like most political issues in the U.S., voting by mail is an increasingly partisan affair, with Democrats more likely to support it than Republicans.
The fight over voting by mail isnt new. But if the political cues around voting by mail werent firmly set before, they are now, with President Trump calling voting by mail corrupt and pushing Republicans to fight efforts to expand it. And this has many election experts concerned as the partisan fighting, last-minute scrambles and inevitable litigation could make 2020 an even more uncertain election.
But before the political fighting gets too ugly, lawmakers really ought to look at the evidence. Numerous studies have arrived at the same conclusion: Voting by mail doesnt provide any clear partisan advantage. In fact, as states have expanded their use of mailed ballots over the last decade including five states that conduct all-mail elections by default both parties have enjoyed a small but equal increase in turnout.
In short: voting by mail is more convenient for some voters but more difficult for others, and these conflicting factors appear to cancel each other out, dampening any partisan advantage. Moreover, the vast majority of nonvoters dont participate not because its too inconvenient to vote, but because voting isnt a habit for them. Maybe they dont care about politics, maybe they dont think their vote matters, maybe they dont like any of the candidates, or maybe its some combination of all of the above. But the bottom line is that these voters decision to vote depends more on whether somebody around them can motivate them to vote, not whether they are able to vote by mail or in person.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/there-is-no-evidence-that-voting-by-mail-gives-one-party-an-advantage/
kacekwl
(7,017 posts)then so be it.
Thomas Hurt
(13,903 posts)only their entitled elite should get to vote.
Can you imagine how much secure online voting would freak them out.
Voltaire2
(13,037 posts)Democratic voters in urban areas by limiting access to polls, it does indeed favour one party. Ours.
samnsara
(17,622 posts).. and having your kid run it to the mail box while you're in your shorts, in the recliner, drinking a beer and watching re runs of football would appeal more to trump humpers..
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Voters make it so much messier when you steal power.
mitch96
(13,904 posts)pecosbob
(7,538 posts)Rs just conveniently leave the last part out of their statements.