by Dottye Ricks
During October, National Voter Education Month, the League of Women Voters of Vermont reminds you that mail-in voting is an important element of exercising our right to vote.
Mail-in Voting supports the right to vote and provides increased voting access. It:
- Reduces ballot fraud. Oregon has used mail elections since 1998. The conservative Heritage Foundation examined their records and found only 14 cases of attempted mail fraud out of 15.5 million ballots cast.
- Increases voter participation. A Stanford University study found that voting turnout increased by two percent in states with vote-by-mail options.
- Increases access to voting for certain groups such as seniors, those with disabilities, rural residents, and overseas citizens such as military personnel.
- Allows voters more time to consider their votes.
- Makes voting more convenient and accessible, especially for those who work.
- Allows people to avoid polling sites and exposure to crowds.
- Does not affect either party’s share of turnout. The same Stanford study referenced above found that neither party’s vote-share was increased by mail voting.
Remember – the more people that vote, the stronger the democracy. Defend the right to vote.
To read more, visit https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/mail-voting-accuracy and https://drive.google.com/file/d/1f0cxGEvuqJ-aYl0nRQyq62Glo6bWquXC/view.