Let’s protect our right to vote
By Ben Bright June 1, 2020
When we think about rights that the U.S. Constitution grants us as citizens, the first ones to come to mind are generally the right to free speech, the right to bear arms, the right to religion, or even the right to peaceably assemble. And the thought of infringing on any of these stirs up great outrage in many people and immediate protest in others. However, each of these rights is mentioned just once in the Constitution, while a right that many of us take for granted, and one that many rarely, if ever, use is mentioned five times. This is the right to vote.
The right to vote is imperative in our democracy, yet the discussion of infringements on voting rights generally elicits yawns from the masses. And the right to vote is constantly under attack, not only by stripping away voting rights, but by discouraging people to vote or simply by making it harder to vote. Decisions like moving or condensing polling precincts can greatly impact a person’s ability to vote. These decisions are often made with partisan agendas that can directly affect the outcome of elections.
Washington County has announced the moving of several polling places due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These polls were located in senior centers or other places that are located near higher densities of high-risk populations to the coronavirus and needed to be moved to safer, larger venues. While moving these polls is in the best interest of the voters, it can also lead to confusion amongst those who may not find out about the move until Election Day. These decisions, while appropriate, must be done in a proper way so that no voter is denied his or her right to vote.
One way Pennsylvania is trying to make it easier to vote is with the introduction of no-excuse mail-in ballots. This expansion of voter rights allows anyone to vote by mail. The same has been done for years with absentee ballots but it eliminates the need to have an “excuse” as to why you cannot make it to the polls on Election Day. Already Washington County voters have embraced this change, with over 20% of the registered Democrats and Republicans applying to vote by mail for the June 2 primary. Looking toward the Nov. 3 general election, it is not inconceivable that this total may double.
But this extra convenience brings with it other concerns. The issuing and counting of these ballots is extremely labor-intensive, and each county is responsible for staffing and costs. And with the incredible increase of mail-in ballots, elected officials are responsible for making sure that the ballots are distributed, collected, and secured safely and that every person’s vote is accurately counted. But there are other issues that are now created by the influx of mail-in ballots. What happens when a voter neglects to sign the mailing envelope? What occurs when the voter forgets to put the ballot in the secrecy envelope before mailing it? There are numerous reasons why a mail-in ballot could be challenged or voided. So then the question becomes at what point does an innocent error by the voter become a denial of a right guaranteed in the Constitution?
Here in Washington County, the county commissioners have formed a bipartisan election review committee that has been charged with reviewing election procedures and giving recommendations to the county election board (made up of the three commissioners). Due to many factors, this committee bears a large burden. Washington County is known as one of the national “bellwether” counties in presidential elections, and this year has been no different. Already, national news organizations such as Reuters, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and CNN have done stories related to the Washington County political landscape, with many more to come as we approach the Nov. 3 election. It is not a crazy thought that the eyes of the nation will be on Washington County come Election Day and any decisions made by our elected officials in regard to voting rights will be highly scrutinized.
The election review committee, chaired by county Republican Party Vice Chairman Dave Ball, should look at recommendations that will make it easier for all county residents to make their voices heard in future elections while also protecting the system from error. A couple of these ideas may include additional staffing for the processing of mail-in ballots or even purchasing secure ballot drop boxes for drive-up delivery of mail in ballots (which are now being used in several other Pennsylvania counties). However, every recommendation of the committee needs to help those most likely to be affected by voter suppression, including the elderly, minorities, and the poorest of our citizens.
The right to vote is one of our basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution and yet it is one of our least used. Even four years ago, during one of the most contentious presidential elections on record, 4 in 10 United States citizens who were eligible to vote did not do so. This needs to change. Voting should be safe, secure, and simple. People need to be shown that their voices are being heard. Until that happens, the words of Thomas Jefferson will ring true: “We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.”
Ben Bright is chairman of the Washington County Democratic Committee.
