Vote at Home | Weekly Roundup August 17, 2020
There are 74 days until the November election. Here’s the latest in VAH news:
Week of August 17
Postmaster DeJoy testified before the Senate today on the US Postal Service’s ability to handle the influx of mail ballots. The biggest takeaways: DeJoy supports vote-by-mail, and was unequivocal that the Postal Service would be able to handle the volume of mail that an expected surge in ballots will cause heading into November. Bonus: Here’s why the Postal Service wanted to remove hundreds of mail-sorting machines.
Governor Cuomo signed three bills into law this week, making voting easier for New Yorkers this November. The policy changes will allow no-excuse absentee voting, expedite absentee ballot applications, and permit ballots to be postmarked on Election Day (ballots will be counted if received by November 10).
Eight major sports teams signed on to a plan to make their home venues available as voting “super centers” for November, a joint project of the National Vote at Home Institute and the Silver Linings Group. The vote centers are intended to handle a large number of voters (while respecting social distancing) where anyone can vote regardless of their usual polling place.
Michigan SOS Jocelyn Benson promoted vote at home during her speech at the DNC convention Thursday: “Let’s be clear: there is absolutely zero difference between voting by mail and voting absentee. Millions of Americans have been voting absentee for decades. Donald Trump, his family, his staff – they all vote by mail,” Benson said. “Republicans and Democrats agree: It is safe.”
Remember the election troubles in Paterson, NJ? This week, a judge ruled the election had been “irreversibly tainted” and ordered a new vote to be held in November to settle the race for City Council. The decision comes one day after the Trump campaign sued the state over its recent decision to conduct the November election almost entirely by mail.
Up Next: Oklahoma’s primary runoff is Tuesday, August 25th.