Democrats renew vote-by-mail push as virus upends elections

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By ALAN FRAM and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats want to bolster mail-in voting and take other steps to make balloting easier this November in the next round of congressional efforts to revive the economy and battle the coronavirus pandemic, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday.

Pelosi’s still-evolving proposals drew immediate condemnation from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, echoing President Donald Trump’s opposition to federal attempts to prod states to relax restrictions for this fall’s presidential and congressional elections.

The discord underscored that a partisan battle over voting restrictions could complicate Congress’ next attempt to prop up the stalled economy and deluged health care providers.

The virus’ continued threat has prompted worries that in-person balloting could be hazardous. Residents of much of the country are under orders to stay home and avoid crowds to slow the disease’s spread.



FILE - In this March 13, 2020, file photo Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., arrive to make a statement ahead of a planned late-night vote on the coronavirus aid package deal, at the Capitol in Washington. Democrats are wrestling over how best to assail Trump for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the economy’s shutdown even as the country enters an unpredictable campaign season against the backdrop of the most devastating crisis in decades. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)


Read more: https://apnews.com/182a44a1e97e2d917a4db3925628a423

[OrlandoDem2]

1. Every Democrat in America needs to push this.

[totodeinhere]

2. Republicans will almost certainly oppose this since as a rule of thumb a lower voter

turnout benefits them in elections. So the harder it is for people to vote the better it is for the Republicans.

[Massacure]

11. It's not that clear cut

For example, Utah performs all of its elections by mail, while New York has some of the more restrictive absentee ballot rules in the country. With Trump opening his mouth about it though, the issue may end up more politicized than it has been historically.

[overleft]

3. This should be the focal point of every politician.

If your ideas and policies are so great then why shouldn't everyone want to vote for you? I thought the idea is to get as many people as you can to follow your way of thinking.

grammar edit

[C Moon]

4. Putin is definitely worried about losing this election, and removing vote by mail is his last chance

[thenelm1]

8. Not to change the subject, for which I heartily agree - but Putin

Has anyone else noticed that when the number of Covid-19 cases by country are reported, Russia in particular is always missing?

Russia has a number of large cities - Moscow (12mil), St. Petersburg (~5mil) and more than a few others with populations of over a million. Many, if not most, rely heavily on public transportation - subways, trains and such, along with huge, mostly Soviet built, apartment complexes where people travel and live in very close proximity, much like NYC. You have to wonder how bad this epidemic is there. I suppose it's not surprising that we aren't hearing anything from there - Putin after all (Trump squared - though smarter to some degree).

[LogicFirst]

5. Arizona, a blood red state,

has mail-in voting, and it works great. All states really need to move into the 21st century.

[Rebl2]

7. Saw our

idiot governor in Missouri say today there is no way he will allow mail in ballots for any election. Please people of MO, oust this governor in November along with those Republicans in the state house.

[cp]

6. Hey, everyone! Get signed up for absentee ballots for the rest of the year!

I'm a poll worker in Wisconsin (and still in a white-hot fury at Republican legislators) and have realized that we are a test case for Rethug fuckwittage in November. Sign up for voting by mail! Thank you.

[Talitha]

12. +1

[DownriverDem]

9. Michigan voters

passed no reason/absentee voting by mail in 2018. Governor Whitmer just announced every registered voter will get a mail in ballot for the election. I'm sure MI repubs will sue.

[gab13by13]

10. Mail in voting won't matter

if Congress doesn't save the post office which is about to run out of money. Democrats had better draw a line in the sand and include a bail out for the post office in this next "stimulus" bill.