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Maybe I’m just missing the point—it wouldn’t be the first time, it wouldn’t be the last.
But I just don’t get it when people talk about concerns that the US Postal Service won’t be able to handle the volume of mail when it comes to “mail-in” ballots for the US Presidency.
Case in point: Two days ago, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (we’re too good just to be a measly state, we live in a Commonwealth) held a primary election. To provide a little context for those of you who live outside our Great Commonwealth, Ed Markey, a long-time politician and our incumbent Senator, did the unthinkable. He beat a candidate who bore the name Kennedy, the loser being Joe Kennedy III, the grandnephew of JFK, the grandson of RFK.
I requested and received a ballot sent to me through the US Mail, I filled it out (voting for the 74 year old Markey, not the 39 year old Kennedy), and then drove over to a local drop-off box near City Hall, provided by the city for that purpose, and deposited it over a week in advance of the primary date. The involvement of the US Postal Service in returning my ballot was zip, zero, nonexistent. Pretty simple, no??
Nobody seems to be particularly concerned about the ability of the US Post Office to get ballots from local officials to voters. Whether ballots are sent to all voters or only those who request them, depending on the state, that can and should happen with relative ease fairly early in the process. As for that end of the process, I have few heard little concern expressed about problems in getting ballots TO voters.
So what’s the big deal about getting ballots FROM voters. While we might technically choose to call them ballots-by-mail, why does the US Postal Serve have to be involved?? If each municipality can arrange for ballots to be dropped off safely—in secure boxes or locations in town—what’s the big deal?
If this were to be set up—and I don’t see why it could not be done pretty easily in any municipality—all of the health-related and time-related reasons for not wanting to vote in person on election day disappear. In fact, like some lessons we’ve learned in adjusting to COVID, why can’t that be the mode of voting in the future?
Whether you need to socially distance, whether you fear for our health or not, why not get a ballot sent to you well in advance of the election, fill it out at a time and place of your convenience, and then simply drop it off in person some time in advance of election day (or on election day for those who like to wait till the last second, whether it’s voting or Christmas shopping). Put it in the official drop-box, not the official mailbox, and voila. No waiting on a long line. No exposure to other people’s germs. As they would say in Jamaica, No Problem.
It seems like such a no-brainer that I await someone to tell me, “Yes, but what about x, you idiot. How come you didn’t think of that? Why didn’t you factor that in?” That may yet come, and while I don’t welcome being exposed as a simpleton, I wouldn’t mind learning why my little proposal wouldn’t or couldn’t work.
Till then, don’t tell me that those who process the mail will be overwhelmed. In fact, don’t talk to me about the US Postal Service at all. You see, it just doesn’t have to involve them.
Because local Republican officials have the ability to mandate such things as only 1 dropbox or 2 per county, or, in fact: NONE. Or they can put dropboxes in places that are almost inaccessible. The Commonwealth, Republican governor notwithstanding, still has some commitment to the common good. In contrast, check out Iowa….
Yes, I guess it’s dependent on there being easily accessable dropboxes, like Arnold suggests. By the way, it’s going to be an interesting week with the Cohen book coming out and the Atlantic article effects still chugging away. When Fox confirms something . . .