Watching 45's loony reactions to covid19 reminds me of Ludvik Jahn, a character in Milan Kundera's fiction reciting a poem: 'Optimism is the opium of the people; the healthy atmosphere stinks!' Vote Blue in 2020 and end this plague in DC.
1
This coronavirus gives opportunities for political machinations. That's because colds (coronaviruses) have two seasons, spring and fall. Influenza has only one season.
So I'd expect to see lots of fun leading up to the November election. With lots of blame for Trump.
1
It feels dangerous to cancel such an important component of our democratic process as the National Conventions so, although the advice may change closer to the time, I appreciate this statement: “I would recommend people travel, go ahead and go and have this thing [the National Conventions],” said Dr. Herbert L. DuPont, the director of the Center for Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas School of Public Health, who believes a panicked response could be more disruptive than the virus itself.
Such anxiety, he added resignedly, has already “produced distrust of our government — and it’s going to affect, big time, this election.”
1
I can think of one excellent reason to discourage by-mail voting.
Exit polls. Already in this election, discrepancies are being identified between the official vote tally and what's indicated by the exit polls. Exit polls are an important way to see whether the outcome is sound or fishy. I don't see how they can be replicated with mailed ballots.
Exit polls are not fact. There are ton of reasons that someone will give a false answer to a question on their vote.
1
We have vote by mail here in WA. hopefully most have their ballots and can conveniently drop off at your local govnt office.
1
I purely do not understand the current panic. A virus being tracked by an individual episodes is TMI. With a mortality rate at 1-3%, it's hard to corral the reasons for this panic. The reported worldwide cases, numbers that will need verification, are a shadow of current year flu deaths. I hear there is a potential for this virus to turn nasty. THe hype still makes no sense.
This proclaimed snow day without the snow seems like an opportunity for corrections. WH & DC appear to be running scared.
While I vote by mail, if I had to vote in person, I would crawl to my polling place in a hazmat suit to vote in the most important elections of my lifetime.
6
Agree. It’s important we re-elect Pres Trump.
3
@PJ I am not certain a President who thinks he is a "natural" in health care, has utterly botched the COVID 19 response, a business hero with six bankruptcies, a negotiator who is being outplayed by the Taliban, a "patriot" who dodged the draft, a Christian who never attends church, a thrice married man who cheated on his wife with a woman whom he had to pay for sex, an economist who thinks the stock market is the economy and a person who hires his family members that cannot even pass a security background check is exactly what America needs.
5
Colorado has vote-by-mail for those who select that feature. This virus may force states to implement modern processes like vote-by-mail, which will eliminate the need for long lines on voting day. It's amazing to me that so many states have archaic voting processes. There is time, if they begin in earnest now, for them to implement better ways to cast a vote in November. They need to begin now!
1
Young voters will survive and vote. Old folks will succumb.
1
@Uly
So that young man in a jersey hospital was a delusion?
Those young people in Europe on ventilators that was all a delusion?
3
On the most basic question just asked at the Corona Virus Press Conference: How may Americans have been tested?
HHS Secretary Azar dodged the question!
Under the President's "leadership" - as VP Pence repeats over and over and over - this administration has zero credibility.
Because voting is primarily a state activity, we should have some confidence that it will be handled well. But if the President gets involved, all bets are off. And if his reelection is threatened, he will likely get involved.
2
Ha, genius, now Trump will cancel the election to keep Americans healthy and stay in office.
2
@Peter
He better have the military guarding his tired draft dodger self
Want to see ugly Americans you will see them
2
One of my kids is convinced Trump will declare a state of emergency, cancel elections, and hold onto power with all his might. He’ a moderately informed teenager with a lot of well-earned distrust. First the Republicans refuse to consider Garland, though it was their duty..... and in and on the outrages have gone. Since my kid was 12 our democracy has taken hit after hit. Who is to say this kid is wrong?
4
I am 72 and my wife is 67. Our health is my paramount concern to me. Voting will be a last minute decision. I have already canceled two plane excursions. My son graduates from law school in May in San Francisco and we are already considering not attending. I will not take any chances since this virus is currently out of control.
2
I live in what is statistically portrayed as ground zero for the coronavirus in Washington state.
I understand the need to prevent transmission, especially to the most vulnerable people. It's a genuine public health concern. As the testing and statistics now reveal, the virus has probably been passing within the population for weeks if not a few months. Our region has many travelers to China and other hot regions in Asia for both business and family reasons. It's no wonder that testing shows the presence of the virus which, unfortunately, killed vulnerable patients.
All that said, please get a grip people. With the exception of some cancelled large gatherings and disruption of global markets due to the bumbling administration, life pretty much goes on normally. A boost in cleanliness is not necessarily a bad thing.
Make no mistake -- we will all be there to vote the babbling, bumbling, incoherent Trump out of office.
12
Washington State has been using mail-in voting for decades. I have not seen the inside of any polling place for decades! I really don't understand why other states have not followed our state's lead in using mail-in ballots. You get a paper trail and the ballots are all counted by computer THAT ARE NOT CONNECTED TO THE INTERNET!
Really the idea of physically going to some polling location to physically pull levers or mark a ballot in a semi-public place seem archaic. Come on, join the 21st Century.
6
Let the candidates have a dual. The winner is the president. This is cheaper and safer for everyone.
2
Interesting that the retired guy referred to at the end of this article things Trump has handled this perfectly - it's also disturbing. I also saw an interview with a Trump supporter who said it was all a hoax. Here in Washington State we vote by mail and now it's even return postage paid - and there are drop boxes all over the place. There is really no excuse not to vote. Why all states do not implement this is beyond me. I also think the candidates should cease the big rallies for a while. On one hand we are being told to avoid large crowds, but theses guys are encouraging us to attend large rallies. A pretty big disconnect going on.
5
Call your local election board office to a request for an absentee ballot and vote from home.
5
I imagine this would help Bernie since older voters are at higher risk from Corona and tend to lean Biden.
What would should be done?
(Sitting in chair, frantically waving hand) I know! I know! Vote by mail. I live in WA and it is zero hassle. Postage prepaid or put in a secure drop box. I even used tap water and a paper towel to seal the envelope this year, too :)
Volunteers from each party are allowed to watch votes being tallied to make sure no funny business is going on.
8
I will vote in person on election day. It's the only chance I have to make sure my vote counts.
3
You should not plan now to do that in Nov., instead make certain now that you will and can vote by mail. CA has free ballot-mailing. Should be the same in all states. Going to a polling place is somewhat risky; get modern, people!
2
It would be useful to see some reliable scientific evidence about transmission of virus via the paper part of envelopes, opening them, touched the part that was licked, etc. I have not seen or heard any evidence of that in the news yet. I have heard it can survive on hard surfaces for a few days, but not porous ones. After all, post office workers are handling paper envelopes all the time. I hate to see elderly people on here fretting about getting a ballot in the mail, because it may be unsafe to touch!
Viruses are picky about their environment. For example, hand washing is now considered preferable to hand sanitizer, if it is done correctly. Scientific studies show people don't contaminate each other if they use the same bar of soap when washing hands, even if they use the same bar one right after the other.
Please, NY Times, provide hard core factual information along with the speculation.
2
Election? What election? Trump is sure to cancel it in the interest of public safety.
2
Alcohol atleast 67% is an effective disinfectant against coronavirus. I'd prefer 91%. It is a good cleaner as well, for screens and keys, and don't forget any stylus everyone has to pick up!
Anyone worried should take their own.
Those lysol/ chlorox brand disinfectant wipes won't kill some viruses, but they are effective against corona viruses. That is because they have fatty membranes. Same story with alcohol. However, I question if it kills quickly.
No office that processes a lot of mail opens them the same way they were sealed; they're simply slit open.
1
It's like you read my mind; what will happen if the November elections are disrupted due to Coronovirus. What if the President issues an Executive Order to postpone the elections due to this virus' outbreak?
There won't be one single solution. Each state must come up with several options: (1) extend early voting (2) mail in ballots made available to those who have never used them before (3) decrease polling place wait times by increasing polling place availability.
This election is too important. We must devise alternative voting options ASAP.
If the president decides to declare a national emergency, maybe there won't be a federal election? I am sure that has crossed someone's mind.
1
I’m flying today to see family. Prior to arriving at the airport I considered the risk factors of flying. I’m assuming that there will be corona virus in the airports today. The number one risk factor is TSA screening. They process every flyer. They are taking id and passes from every flyer and handing them back...potentially infected with virus. No mitigation at all. No changing gloves etc. Then I required a pat down and had to request a change of gloves, which they did, upon request. JFC! This is how contagion spreads. Nice to know this administration is on it. Not.
I told the tsa agent and their supervisor, who will kick it up the chain. I had a bag for my infected Id, and I have alcohol to disinfect it.
I’m not worried about my personal safety. This is about the elderly and vulnerable and a healthcare system that is about to be overwhelmed, leaving infected to die at home.
Be safe.
5
The Trump campaign, which has now full co-opted the RNC, is surely already planning to postpone the election "until it's safe."
How ironic that this crisis--the first problem that's really 'stuck' to Trump and which could easily be the thing that brings him down--might instead give him the excuse he needs to cancel the 2020 election.
5
I believe that the possibility of getting Coronavirus pales in comparison to the odds that Donald Trump and a Republican Congress will cut the CDC. Go vote for Democrats who will actually spend our tax money wisely on things like the CDC and the National Institutes of Health. We need experts who can tell local doctors what these new viruses are doing and how they spread. We also need a Fish and Wildlife Service and Customs agents who will crack down on the global wildlife trade that started this and diplomats who will encourage offenders like China to do the same. Vote Blue and don't let Trump or any of these idiots cancel the election.
9
Getting rid of Trump is worth the risk.
5
Maybe president Trump will cancel the November elections.
2
If you are Republican, why would you risk it? Stay home. Stay safe. Don't vote.
8
As we speak Trump is figuring out how to use this pandemic to cancel the November election.
9
I can’t speak for my fellow Americans but I would don a hazmat suit in order to vote Mr. Trump out of office.
10
With all seriousness, I have completely lost faith in the govt as led by the Trump administration. With all honesty, there wasn't much faith to lose. But an administration that will put re-election priorities & Trump's ego ahead of lives and truthful information is just foul.
1
Those deadly-danger-loving dare-devils who want to risk more coronavirus deaths that would inevitably follow a mass election might be ethically irresponsible. Even if the rate of new infections falls, that means "the disease" is still spreading, possibly killing some newly infected.
Furthermore, the more dire this new catastrophic disease becomes, the possibility remains of bad mutations of the debilitating virus menacing more people.
Furthermore, as the disease spreads around the world, more people could die due to limited life-saving resources. Furthermore, the stock market, a leading indicator of economic downturns, has been cratering, an indication of declining future growth.
A smaller world GDP means more poverty, with some living on the edge of existence being pushed off a cliff to their doom.
Advocates of a mass election are like shills for a high-wire walker carrying nukes of unknown destruction.
5
I guess older (Republican) voters will stay home?
Lots of safe ways to register and turn in our paper votes in WA. In addition, we can go online after we've voted to make sure that our vote got registered. Plus, you can volunteer to observe the votes getting opened and counted. And ... wait for it!!! ... Our legislature just passed a bill to allow Native American voters to use non-traditional addresses—or, alternatively, the address of a designated building on the Nation's land—to register to vote.
1
The current Republican Leadership will want a law limiting voting to the hours of 10:00 to 11:45 A.M.
No one in line before allowed to vote.
2
Isn’t it too bad that the Democrats don’t have a young, vibrant candidate still in the race? Maybe female, a person of color, someone who’s served overseas but like Eisenhower “hates war only as someone who’s seen it firsthand can”, respects civil liberties, is a strong debater and hasn’t promised multi-trillion-dollar fantasies that can’t be paid for.
I’m sure the Times would be reporting on such a candidate if she existed. Right?
7
The best thing Trump could do for himself politically is just step to back and stop talking. Delegate all the responsibility of informing and educating the public to the health experts.
But the problem is that the "stable genius" in the White House who fancies himself being a CDC expert does not want to cede the limelight.
2
All states should be making preparations for a ballot by mail system. Probably a better way to vote anyway.
3
Several thoughts come to mind immediately. The Democratic presidential candidates are all at considerable risk. In Seattle for the older Americans the gap in time between having no symptoms and death was sometimes just several hours. The present administration will have thoughts only for itself. They will not put the wellbeing of the citizens first. Because they have already done so in other ways, we know they might very well even seek to deprioritize or even penalize the residents of blue states. This administration with its Russian election saboteurs will exploit this as much as they can--even as it continues to demonstrate, time and again, for those of us who can still think on our own, that they lack the competence and leadership to manage this emergency. To scientists and other citizens alike, Dr. Fauci's defense of the president yesterday was an embarrassment. I suppose he had to get Pence's approval before commenting. Fauci addressed the shortcomings of this administration's response as if he were writing a scientific paper about them. Well, that isn't what we are doing now and it isn't what the nation needed or expected from him. What he should have given us was the simple likelihood, based on his own experience, that such misteps as these were detrimental: firing most of the CDC's pandemics staffing, spreading conspiracy theories about vaccination, grossly inadequate testing and other capabilities, appointing ridiculously unqualified people.
4
I think that a mail in ballot system pretty resolves this problem. If the virus lasts longest on metal surfaces it would seem that if you hold the mail in ballots say for 24 Hours before processing you should be more than safe
4
I was thinking in the bus going to work this morning in Wellington.
What would happen in the November presidential elections if the situation worsen to the degree and extent that it would be impossible to vote?
Can the November elections be cancelled or postponed or even indefinitely?
2
We should worry about the government deciding to "postpone" elections. That is the most common and most successful way that democratically elected leaders overstay their term limits. We should worry about SCOTUS upholding that decision.
What we need to do is decide *now* that no matter what, the presidential election this year will be mail-in only. That will give us months and months to get the word out, practice, set up contingencies, etc. What we should *not* do is wait and see.
11
I wonder the potential public health consequences of the scandalous Iowa caucuses if the outbreak had already reached the States back then.
1
Add this to the long list of reasons for every state have a vote-by-mail system like Oregon has! I have not been to a polling place in 20 years. I don't have to stand in any lines. I can vote early. I get a voters' guide for every election that has information about the candidates and ballot measures. This allows me to take my time considering how I want to vote. It gives the US Postal Service business. There is very low risk of hacking. Hand recounts can be done if necessary. It makes it much easier for disabled and elderly people to vote. It avoids the lack of fairness that results from voting being managed variably across the state. Voter eligibility can be easily verified. Voter intimidation cannot occur at polling places.
It is just so easy and fair.
12
Sooner or later someone in Trump's retinue will suggest they turn the pandemic into an asset, by declaring elections too dangerous.
1
Oregon has by far the best voteing system. Every registered voter gets their ballot in the mail. We vote at home, in our underwear, while researching each ballot or candidate at our leisure. Then we mail the ballots back in. We don't have to worry about having time to go to the ballots, don't have to worry about long lines, weather, diseases. Every member of the state has equal open access and there is no clever tricks used to suppress certain polling locations. I have no idea why this is not the way everyone in the country votes.
76
@Ian Turner Just moved to Oregon in time for this voting cycle. Coming from 2 previous states where it was done much, much differently- I can confirm. Oregon does it best, and it is shocking we don't do it this way all around the country.
12
@Ian Turner That's amazing! In some states, old habits die hard, but in other states, they make them stand in line for 3 hours or more because it's actually just blatant voter suppression. Really sad that that's still going on. Everyone should be able to vote like Oregon.
11
@Ian Turner
Washington State does the same, and I think California has something at least similar.
14
Cancel his rallies & he’ll try to cancel the election.
4
Corona virus is showing the wisdom of WA State's system. I used to miss voting at a school or church, but I got over that when I saw the long lines in other states.
5
Washington is currently the epicenter of Corona virus in the USA. I agree with those calling for voting by mail although hopefully those who did it earlier to reach in time would have been preferable. It is probably too late to reach in time for tomorrow.
With regard to the question “How long does Corona virus last in saliva that is on an envelope?” Assume that at temperature below 100 deg. C it could last for an indefinite length of time. Therefore gloves should be used for handling mail and all machines used for sorting should be wiped down with an antiviral disinfectant. As far as opening mail, if a self adhesive envelope is used then there is no need for saliva to be used. I never use saliva any way. I use clean water if the glue is already there. But steam could be used to open mail. I am not aware of any virus that can remain viable or infectious at 100 deg C temperature.
2
Where I live there is early voting which my husband takes advantage of every election. No one is in line. Fewer folks behind the desks, verifying name and address and handing out paper ballots.
Of course we are still in the primaries. Who knows how/if the coronavirus could still effect the November election.
This administration has over 7 months to garner enough masks, testing kits and other materials required to in the battling of this virus.
2
The Democratic primary elections should be suspended.
1
We here in WA state vote by mail. The primary being held "today" will hardly be affected by çorvid 19. Why this voting method is not adopted by every state is a mystery. Oh, right. It would put a damper on many Republican voter suppression techniques.
4
where are the lines? in the picture not the polling center I went to in Los Angeles County. - complete chaos. long lines from all over the county.
1
Vote by mail seems to work. That's how we do our taxes. Or by secure digital filing. April 15th deadline. You have 3.5 months to mail your tax return in.
Elections are different. 1 week is enough. Drop off stations work. No one should ever wait more than 10 minutes in line. Or drive more than 5 miles. Or worry about a digital hacker. Wait 2-3 days before the final count. Patience.
Expect Republicans to block sensible democratic 2020 voter methods. I read the CPAC conference agenda. Voter suppression is a major agenda item. Anti-social medicine, more wealth tax cuts, more crafty "opportunity zones", how to corporate socialism prowess, stealing from social programs pre-paid for by recipients, and methods of gaslighting and social media warfare make up the rest. CPAC is a societal virus.
https://cpac.conservative.org/agenda/
How we do our taxes? How we vote?
3
Obviously, mail-in ballots are a perfect choice during the time of the corona virus. As we head to what can only be expected to be highly rancorous elections next fall, our voting opportunities and availability will be critical. If there are confusions, missed voting days, and any other myriad of unfortunate mishaps, I can imagine the current occupant of the white house, if the vote does not go his way, resisting the change of leadership. It could throw the country into even more turmoil than we are already in. Every State should make this switch immediately. There is no excuse not to do so.
35
@skfinkel
I think every state should do it anyway, because of how sketchy the voting machines have become. It's a lot easier to suppress votes when you have voting locations and machines, though, and that's reportedly why some Republican-led states have been reluctant to make the change.
2
I recommend highly vetted blockchain technology with global transparency and highly transparent accounting. Available to all eligible voters. Otherwise profound voter suppression opportunities will be the hallmark of GOP corruptive enterprises. It will be their only assured opportunity for success.
1
It seems to me that the most logical thing to do, is to encourage States change to a mail-in election. Oregon already does this, and many States give the voter the option. Arizona gives us the option, I’ve been doing it for years.
3
Not to downplay the situation, but virus spread by saliva when licking envelopes is not the biggest problem. Actual voting is. What if people feel reluctant to go to the polls because of coronavirus risk? That's the biggest problem.
State legislatures should now be considering robust vote-by-mail systems or other alternatives, and Congress should be ready to send federal funds to help states build up these systems.
6
Here in Washington the voting model is so easy.
When you get your driver's licence (and I assume other forms of ID), you check a box saying you want to register to vote and then your mail-in ballot just shows up at your door for every local, primary, and national election. Forever.
You can mail it from anywhere with no postage, or drop it off at one of several drop boxes locally.
There's no extremely hack-able voting machines, no lines, no voter intimidation at the polling place.
I have no idea why other states don't use this model.
Well, just kidding. I do know why. It's the voter suppression.
149
@Nick Exactly that. And voting machines are highly subject to error and tampering.
10
@Nick
No citizenship question?
5
@Nick Much too logical, and the Republicans don’t like it. So we can expect that Red States won’t change to this very easy system.
7
I'll bite the bullet to see the fiddler in the White House removed.
6
John Anderson must be reading Fox News and not actually thinking about what Trump is saying (let's not let the cruise ship dock, it will make MY numbers look bad) How unconscious can someone be?
4
If this Covid19 plague is still extremely active around November, GIVE EVERY VOTER A DECENT MASK so he/she can safely do to the polls - especially in disadvantaged areas where Republican voter suppression is most likely. Also make sure that EVERY voter has access to voting by mail - no more Republican dirty tricks.
We cannot permit ANY decrease in voter participation (or increase viral spread) which might advantage the Criminal-in-Chief.
3
This is an opportunity to be solution minded - please write that article! - and not to be negative, as this article is. Why put the idea of not voting out there when so many organizations are working so hard to encourage voter participation.
3
They will claim a national emergency and postpone the election. T is banking on the statute of limitations to protect his empire.
Do not underestimate these criminals.
6
Mail in ballots should be provided to all citizens and there's plenty of time to prepare for this eventuality. HOWEVER, Republicans love to suppress the vote and they will see this problem as an advantage for themselves. So I'm sure there will be no preparation and no extraordinary mailings of ballots.
3
There has never been a priority at the federal level to ensure the voting process. Why? Because this in power do no care about ensuring that everyone gets a voice. The result is a patchwork of incompetent officials each having their own outdated and often convoluted system for voting. Can this be fixed? Of course. Will it be fixed? No - as no one in power has any incentive to do so.
1
We in Oregon have had strictly vote by mail for quite some time and it has worked well for us. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the system could work in all states just as well.
2
A friend of mine asked LA County if they were going to disinfect the machines in some way- but didn't hear any response. Touch screens are 100% filthy. While I applaud their efforts in creating the new voting system and making it accessible, disinfection is needed on the machines.
Or everyone could use gloves...
THIS is one of the best reasons for mail-in Ballots, everywhere. Also, a real Paper trail, so protection from Computer “ glitches “.
Just saying.
3
Licking envelopes has a simple solution: just don't do it. Use a damp cloth or paper towel and wet the envelope flap and stick it. In my humble opinion, we should all do mail in ballots. It is simple, can be done in the quiet of your own home and is relatively bug free. Just remember not to lick the flap. The counting/verification can also be done by using automation instead of using people. Standing in line to vote is really for the birds and should be eliminated.
2
It's really quite astonishing. Within the last few months, Biden has publicly:
-got wrong when he was VP;
-got wrong what office he's running for right now;
-got wrong what state he was in;
-got the name of world leaders wrong;
-got his own name wrong.
Meanwhile - and predictably - Corey Booker has endorsed Biden. Everybody is vying for the #2 spot as it becomes increasingly obvious that Biden, if elected, would quickly be removed from office under the 25th Amendment. But of course the reasoning is flawed, because if Biden is nominated the #2 spot is already decided: Mike Pence.
The endorsers of Biden are wearing invisible signs on their backs saying, "Don't vote for Me!" Tim Kane, I see yours plain as day.
Sanders is our only hope!
2
This has to do with voting/virus issues how? Get a grip.
6
@Max — Are you familiar with the term ‘galloping non sequitur’ ?
4
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it now: Sanders’ supporters are his greatest liability. This is the 12th Presidential campaign I have voted in, and I have never seen so counterproductive a base.
3
We've been vote by mail for years in this state, and this is but one more reason among several that our system is a good one.
Can't remember the last time I've licked an envelope, been using a wet sponge for years (on the one or two a year I use that require moisture). I don't know where that envelope has been or what it's touched (before "my corona").
2
A BIG SHOUT out to Andrea Cuomo, @NYGovCuomo.
"We’re hearing from local governments that acquiring hand sanitizer has been a real problem.
NYS will immediately begin producing hand sanitizer ourselves — 100,000 gallons per week. We'll provide it to government agencies, schools, the MTA, prisons, & others.
What matters most is what they get done in between elections.
Cuomo or his staff just did something insanely great in response to this pandemic that eludes the Trumpers.
I wondered a day or so ago what would happen if a visitor, prison staff member or CO passes the virus on to an inmate?
Like nursing homes, prisons are Petrie dishes.
So Gov Cuomo's prompt initiative succeeds in covering many bases. Prisons will be fastidiously cleaned and they will also have abundant access to personal sanitizer.
"We'll provide it to government agencies, schools, the MTA, prisons, & others." Those were magic words. I expect all other governors to follow suit and to make sure that the immigrant detention centers get supplies. In our care/detention, they are vulnerable and we are responsible for them.
PS. Grocery stores and pharmacies need front door sanitizer stations. I asked at my local small market yesterday and he said yes they would do it—when they got a shipment of sanitizer in again. Their shelves were empty of several products. I got the last tub of Clorox wipes. I couldn't find any Hydrogen Peroxide wipes online.
1
Mail in ballots are great. I voted by email in South Carolina while living in Luxembourg in 2016. The bigger question in this Presidential is will the candidates survive the virus? If not, then what?
1
If anyone believes that the suffering this country is experiencing will help us get Trump out of the White House, think again. All this pandemic will do is give Trump an excuse to declare martial law. Remember, we have a literally insane man sitting in the White House, surrounded by fawning sycophants as willfully ignorant as he.
Actions Trump may take? He may well cancel the November presidential election. The coronavirus, which he has so far denounced as a hoax, will suddenly become so serious that he must suspend our citizens' civil rights.
A president's Constitutional power to declare martial law exists, but it is far from well-defined. There is little precedential case law defining its scope. And so far, this Supreme Court has bent over backwards to provide the expansive definitions of "executive powers" Trump seeks. The Roberts court granted him "emergency powers" for his Wall and the Muslim ban, on a claim wholly devoid of any facts. Trump simply said he needed to take those actions, and this Court took him at his word.
And Trump will have the continued support of his base. Trump voters will continue to deny reality and say the virus doesn't exist. They have a "president" who tells them that as whites they are the only "real" Americans, and for this, they'll sacrifice the health and safety of their own family members.
This pandemic has given Trump the excuse he needs, as his poll numbers decline these next few months, to seize absolute power. And he will.
7
another great reason for universal vote by mail. See WA and OR where this is already the way things are done.
1
All voting should be by absentee ballot.
2
Why not? Prudent ideas when handling unknown stuff, or washing windows, changing the car oil:
“We’re telling all of the people who handle incoming ballots to use gloves . . . and folks, you might consider masks.’”
BTW the Obama fist-bump is back! Elbows are fun, too.
2
As Jesse Jackson put it so well, Sanders represents the "moral center".
"What Sanders represents is not the left-wing. It’s the moral center. Healthcare for everybody is moral. Education even for the poor without student loan debt is the moral center. Middle East policy where you recognize Israel and Palestine is the moral center'" [Jesse Jackson].
Why don't all states just do mail-in ballots for God's sake? And if folks are worried about the licked envelopes, make them self-adhesives.
2
Vote by mail. Everyone vote by mail. Paper ballots, pens, drop-off locations or the mail box. Why not? Why on earth would people have to go to a precinct, stand in line, etc when they could vote via the mail?
50
@Susan
I do not like to send my ballot in early bc it is treated like a proxy ballot. If the election is a run away my vote may not even be counted. I also like the physical act of voting in person and receiving my sticker
@Susan
I agree. If absentee ballots are accepted in that fashion, why not regular ballots? Heck, I'd even pay for my own postage!!
4
@FerCry'nTears
In WA, we receive our information booklets and ballots a couple of weeks before the deadlines for either mailing them or dropping them off. They needed to be postmarked by Friday, and the deadline to alternatively get them into a drop box is 8 PM Tuesday. We can track our ballot online, and/or get a digital sticker to post on Facebook to mention that we voted. I post it as a reminder to friends that the deadlines to get the ballots in are approaching.
2
Why not develop some way to vote online? Don't all eligible voters have a unique Social Security number (or couldn't they get one before November)? That would solve many of the problems outlined in this article, imo.
11
@Will McClaren Almost everything online can be hacked.
15
@Will McClaren
Why not ?
Hacking !
14
@Will McClaren
Because computers are hackable. Right now there are thousands of people who have your passwords and, yes, your SS number.
8
We're all mail-in voting in Washington State. Furthermore, in my county, they used self-sealing envelopes (you remove the strip, and close the envelope). Good thinking.
41
@Josh
If you're in Seattle, I'm in the same County, and mine needed to be licked! Well, not licked, since we were advised to use a damp sponge, which I did, but that COVID-19-wary request has now been rescinded.
1
Absentee ballots. We have good reason - coronvirus. Masks are useful. Gloves are useful. This is not panic but reasonable protection. But, unless one is ill, get out your vote.
15
@Jenny
I agree! The those who are 65+ (which I am a proud member of) are in the highest risk group. For that reason alone, absentee ballots should be sent to all of these individuals. If it's a toss up between standing in lines with tons of folks who may be infected but don't know because no symptoms have occurred vs. voting via an absentee ballot which may or may not get delivered, I'm putting my faith in the Post Office.
5
What a perfect storm of circumstances. We have three elderly candidates. A virus that hits the elderly the hardest. A flu season that peaks in the fall. An election season that will peak in November. A need to reduce the spread of the virus by limiting social interactions. And an insane president who would just love to call the whole election off and remain in office by his own national security decree. Perfect! What could possibly go wrong?
69
@SalinasPhil That's exactly it! He will order everyone to shelter in place, set curfews, declare martial law and "postpone" the election because of "national security" reasons.
Normally, this would make me a candidate for a tinfoil hat. It just doesn't seem so far-fetched with this lunatic at the helm.
18
@SalinasPhil Yes, I immediately thought the same thing. He pretty much has power in a "national emergency." It won't just be in the U.S., other nations are going to be testing out their disaster powers, like China has already. It won't be pretty or democratic.
3
@SalinasPhil
Well, he's being deliberately careless by not taking precautions, so we shall see. I have no idea how immuno-compromised the three are, but Trump already behaves as if he's trying to be unhealthy in general. Bernie has enviable vitals according to his medical report, but I haven't seen anything about Biden's medical condition.
1
This is early enough to get all states on board with paper / hard copy vote mail in or drop off ballots. Washington State is a vote-by-mail state, and its easy. Requiring voters to show up at polling places is inconvenient and often made incredibly difficult for some populations. There is no excuse, especially now with Coronavirus to not change the voting protocol nationally.
4
Surely this is an opportunity to take a huge leap forward and implement a highly secured, smart phone based voting mechanism? There are many tech companies that are ready, willing and able to do this in the timeframe. It might also actually help Encourage young people to vote! Just needs Congress to embrace a progressive idea that would have many benefits. Maybe the opportunity to create secure National IDs for everyone in the process also?
3
@G
NO!! Electronics are already insecure enough!
Viruses in general live only a few hours on surfaces and only an hour or two on hands.
For people collecting and tabulating ballots, no special measures are needed.
They're far, far more likely to catch something from the person next to them than a ballot.
1
Washington State is a vote-by-mail state, which guarantees a paper ballot record, as well as the avoidance of absurdly long lines at polling stations. Not sure how Corona will impact this system, but guessing MUCH LESS than were we forced to line up and share booths/machines. Every state should follow suit. Whenever I see photos of the hours-long lines in other states and read about vulnerable and error-prone electronic voting kiosks, it baffles me.
21
We may get a vignette in Florida next week on the official Tuesday primary day, March 17. In fact, some polling places opened on Mar 2 and have been open since. Also, mail in ballots have been available at least a week longer. In 2018, I think 33 to 40% of the ballots cast were cast before the traditional Tuesday voting day in the county where I live.
I suspect the dramatic decline in candidates still running will have a bigger effect than fears of the virus because here, the virus is not so widespread. If case numbers rise dramatically in the next week, fear may keep more people from the polls than now seems likely. We may get a vignette in Florida next week on the official Tuesday primary day, March 17. In fact, some polling places opened on Mar 2 and have been open since. Also, mail in ballots have been available at least a week longer. In 2018, I think 33 to 40% of the ballots cast were cast before the traditional Tuesday voting day in the county where I live.
I suspect the dramatic decline in candidates still running will have a bigger effect than fears of the virus because here, the virus is not so widespread. If case infection numbers rise dramatically this week, fear may keep more people from the polls than now seems likely.
I'm sure someone is already trolling to tell one side or the other that voting constitutes increases infection risk. Only accurate way to know now is to wait a few weeks and see what ensues.
1
I've been wondering about the voting issue for awhile now. Makes you question why more states don't have mail-in voting with polling stations and drop-offs as a supplement only. We can supply ballot counters with emergency gear much more easily than an entire voting population. The risk to voters obviously suppresses turn out which obviously favors Republicans. I fully expect Republicans are already planning a host of last minute voter suppression tactics based around the virus.
As a more indirect consequence though, the virus also suppresses activism BEFORE the election. I'm sure organizers are struggling to recruit anything but phone volunteers right now. There's a political consequence that extends beyond election day. The introversion most likely favors Biden right now. A rush to absentee ballots could inadvertently swing voters in Sanders direction. However, the deadlines have mostly passed already.
On the other hand though, young voters are more likely to show up to polls anyway. The virus is supposedly lower-risk for younger voters. Maybe Sanders will catch an unexpected break.
4
The obvious thing to do would be a 50-state compact to promote voting-by-mail, with every registered voter getting a vote-by-mail ballot at their registration address. That gives voters a safe option, should they choose to take it. Since those ballots are returned in a signed, sealed envelope, it would be easy to check for potential voter fraud, too. Under no circumstances should an election be canceled or postponed, and there'd be no need with this option.
13
Early voting is important. Avoid crowds but vote because we have the insane running the shop now and many can be hurt when the wrong people are in charge. Although we keep hearing coronavirus is like the flu, there are two key differences: (1) we have a flu vaccine (2) we have a flu treatment.
1
Glad to see this is being discussed. A few weeks ago I thought what if one of these almost 80 year old candidates gets it in July, or any time. (FWIW - I think Sanders’ prospects would be much better than mine, and he’s got 30 years on me.
I live in King County, the epicenter of the epidemic in the US and l’ll be dropping off my ballot to an official dropbox today.
Here in Washington state we have only voting by mail or dropbox. There are no polling places. I’m surprised that the article didn’t mention that fact.
It’s a good system. There’s a paper trail, we have weeks to vote, and there’s no standing in line. And now, no concern for spreading disease.
41
@Allison Bradford Agreed. I see no way this would have a huge impact. We've had the ballot for weeks now. And it's postage-paid if you can't get to a drop box.
7
@Allison Bradford you can still vote in person at every County Clerk Office in the state.
1
We need IMMEDIATE measures to take place to guarantee the November election. Every single registered voter in every single state and overseas should be be mailed a Postage-Paid, Mail-IN, Absentee Ballot by no later than October 15th at which time early voting should begin. This should "trump" (Oh, the irony!!) all current state laws and procedures for elections therefore providing universal access to the right to vote for all registered voters.
With this much lead time before November, there will be absolutely NO excuse for Trump to postpone or usurp the election. I've written my representatives about this twice. It would be helpful if responsible media outlets would demand answers to this crucial question--NOW.
27
I already voted for Bernie by mail, but now I am thinking Biden is the more sensible person. So, now I won't be so heartbroken when Bernie loses. That stubbornness is sometimes not a good trait. He should know better.
6
But now we need Medicare for All. People can’t afford to see a doctor and can’t afford to stay home from work and can’t afford their prescriptions. Not a good situation in a pandemic
Mail in ballots - works great in OR and WA and better for democracy too - no need for a postage stamp and no worries about long lines at polling places (or polling places being closed/reduced in minority neighborhoods)
14
An additional question-- how will this effect census taking?
2
@Mel Most Census data can be done online or via mail in form; Door to door is the last option and wont kick in until late summer, I believe.
IT IS TIME TO:
1. Make voting in each state - by MAIL. With ballots sent by mail to every registered voter, with prepaid postage on the return ballot.
2. Persuade people to mail in the ballot, rather than come in person to their polling place, if at all possible. (Exceptions might be same day registration and the like.)
3. Tell people not to lick the ballot they are returning.
4. Make certain that candidates do not hold large rallies, where people might get infected. Have video-conferencing instead.
5. Inside each mailed ballot should be explanations about the virus, steps people can take to protect themselves, and what to do if they have symptoms.
14
The correct and best choice is this: Tell people the truth.
2
trump is likely to attempt to cancel the 2020 elections and remain in power for life. We need to prepare for this eventuality now and put in place systems to ensure the integrity of our elections against our biggest threat: the “president” of the United States.
12
@CP When push comes to shove, there are much more of us than there are of Trump and his henchmen. I don't think we'd be that easy to overcome.
3
Coronavirus doesn't 'care' about human economics nor elections.
Coronavirus ' cares' about being fruitful and multiplying among it's animal hosts including the heirs of the primate apes who appeared in Africa 300, 000+ years ago.
2
Donald the Unready has been cutting public health budgets for the last three years. This is now coming home to roost.
6
I have heard speculation that Trump will use this virus as an excuse to cancel the 2020 election which he would lose if it were held today. With Ivanka now owning one of the companies that makes the voting machines, with Trump and McConnell having cut funding for secure elections and blocked efforts to stop Russian interference, the chances of a legitimate election are slim to none, but having a populace terrified of a virus certainly would keep more people away from the polls.
10
@Baruch Ivanka owns a company that makes our voting machines? Really? If this is true, it's a major conflict of interest and probably illegal.
5
Trump will be attempting to use this crisis to his advantage come November. From coordinating with states sympathetic to him to shut down high-risk polling places (which just happen to be in areas that lean Democrat) to making efforts to cancel the election entirely- it's all in play. The coronavirus is a minor threat that we'll eventually build immunity to and learn to manage with a vaccine and perhaps novel anti-viral treatments. Trump is a cancer and an existential threat to humankind. Let's keep our eyes on the ball.
5
I am living in Olympia, a town 60 miles south of Seattle. It is the capitol of Washington State. Our primary election is tomorrow. I am an older adult, in the state where coronavirus in America was first detected.
Coronavirus has not yet been detected in my county, but is inevitably creeping closer. I am a pessimist by nature. And I believe that taking preparation for having to quarantine in my home for 2 weeks is simple common sense.
I am disgusted by the Fox News hosts who accuse a level headed Dem like me of sowing panic. But even I think the tone of this article sounds like a sensationalist doomsday scenario. "The effects of a socially transmitted respiratory virus, if it were to spread unabated through campaign season, would be almost endless."
The stores around me have been out of hand sanitizer for weeks, along with rubbing alcohol and masks. Yet, out on their walks on a sunny Sunday evening yesterday in downtown Olympia, at the coffee shops, and the oyster bars, people were calm. Life goes on. We must find ways to have high turnout in the upcoming elections, and we will.
5
Here in Seattle we all just mail in our ballots or drop them in a ballot box around the city. No human contact and no polling places.
4
My nightmare scenario: November election will be suspended.
2
Trump will cancel the election. Or his militias will do it for him.
3
Yes, our vote by mail in Washington state has a couple of issues for the general election – election workers have to open envelopes and handle ballots. But, great advantages generally and in particular during a pandemic accrue. Among these are:
• There is an entire time period to vote, likely leading to better informed and more thoughtful responses
• It is convenient – no hand wringing about late shift workers, elderly home-bound, homemakers with infants or small children, etc.
• It is cost effective. Far less expensive than organizing, staffing, individual polling place stocking with machines and other support materials
• There are no nefarious shenanigans such as eliminating all but a few, scattered polling places, reducing poll hours of operation, and so forth
• No one, including disabled and elderly persons, has to wait hours in the hot sun or frozen north to vote.
• No one has the expense of travel to (or even finding in some areas) polling places. No one has expense period, as returns are postage-free
12
Many states allow absentee ballots. That's how I'll vote if coronavirus is still raging.
2
I thought all mail was irradiated or passed through tan ultraviolet light since early 2000’s, no?
Open more++voting locations, so smaller and local groups get together. Enough with the long lines and crowds.
I feel terrible. I desperately want to attend the Joe Biden rally in Cleveland tomorrow (Tuesday) night, but I've had a running cold mixed with flu for over a month. I'm over 70-years old, and in excellent health, yet I'm still conflicted.
Joe: if I don't make it tomoorow for you, just know that I care. I want to see you elected as our next president!
Details:
Joe Biden will hold a rally in Cleveland Tuesday, March 10, starting at 8:30 p.m. at the Cuyahoga Community College Recreation Center on East 30th Street. It will be open to the public.
7
@Logan I'm not a Biden supporter, but I suggest you take whatever money it would have cost to go to the rally and send that to Joe's campaign instead.
3
Why doesn't somebody tell the campaigns about that new gadget out there - video conferencing.
2
Isn’t it interesting that Washington, Oregon and California have mail in voting the big blue wall. We don’t hear about voter suppression on the left coast. Those SE red states sure have a lot of it, old fashioned polling stations with broken down machines, hacked voting rolls and people kicked off the rolls. Go figure.
11
The mail-in ballots here in California come with envelopes that use adhesive that does not need to be moistened, just peel off the backing paper.
3
As Winston Churchill said "Never waste a good crisis".
There is opportunity here for democrats. Trump has already stumbled by putting Mike (the anti science guy) in charge, instead of Anthony Fauci. Fauci has still managed to be heard, and has advised to stay off cruise ships. Pence said all the people on the current cruise ship with an outbreak, would be tested. This seems ridiculous given the shortage of tests. Democrats have coalesced behind Biden, so the Sanders Socialist question has been diluted. Let's hope the Democrats seize the moment.
Well, now we know there is at least one benefit of this country having pathetically low voter turnout. It reduces the risk of catching the coronavirus at a polling place.
1
Sanders: selfish, egotistical, ineffective and dangerous, as per usual.
1
Let Russia handle the elections from Moscow. It cuts out the middle man and protects American's from community spread on election day.
Does anyone else foresee a National Emergency, a Bill put forth by Trump to extend his time in office due to the crisis, martial law, and boom: Donald Putin.
3
Possibly getting sick and dying is a small price to pay to get rid of Trump. I’ll gladly take my chances!
4
Coe November, Trump will use the virus as an excuse to "postpone" elections until it's safe to vote. And his corrupt Senate cronies will back him up. And Democracy will slide a little further down into the abyss.
1
I will risk infection with Covid-19 to get Trump out of office.
4
I will bet dollars to donuts that the Republicans try to use this virus to suppress voters in Democratic areas.
5
“John Anderson, 72, a retired engineer, said Mr. Trump’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak had reinforced his decision to support him. ‘It seemed like he was right away reacting to the need, and getting experts together,’ Mr. Anderson said.”
“Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people.” —attributed to H. L. Mencken
5
@David Bussan No. Mr. Anderson was already a Trumpster being unaware of how poorly this president responds to anything.
1
Let's face facts. We got 3 really really old white men. All three are getting close to the life expectancy of 78.9 years. And these really old white men are holding rallies and shaking hands, probably getting very little sleep. What.. is the voter supposed to do - what do we get the last guy to not die of the covid 19 to be our president. I hope all political parties have a contingency plan in place if the front runner, or front runners all die. Then what happens. Is the democratic convention even going to be allowed to be held (too much close contact)
Per wiki What is the life expectancy of a white male in the United States?
Today, Asian Americans live the longest (87.1 years), followed by Latinos (83.3 years), whites (78.9 years), Native Americans (76.9 years), and African Americans (75.4 years).
Seems to me that if the poll workers just handed everyone a disinfectant wipe to wipe down the desk or machine screen before voting and a pump of hand sanitizer on the way out, some of the transmission issues should be eliminated.
2
“I would recommend people travel, go ahead and go and have this thing,” said Dr. Herbert L. DuPont.
As a middle-aged healthy person, this is where I am at. I'd like to get it and be done with it.
But I do worry a lot for my elderly relatives back in the US, as well as my older co-workers here. My wife plays in a community orchestra, the vast majority of whom are in their 70s, 80s, & 90s. She worries the orchestra could be wiped out.
One thing we do not seem to know yet, is whether a recovered person is still able to transmit the disease.
However, it may be that recovered people would be best positioned to help others less able to cope with the illness and take on some of those riskier rolls.
In the meantime, hats off to the healthcare workers on the front lines doing the work on behalf of all of us.
3
Our vote by mail system is alive and well, and doing just fine here in Washington State. . Perhaps in the future return envelopes for ballots could use self-sealing closures to avoid the problem of licking envelopes. Voting by mail is the answer to a lot of problems with elections: a secure, paper ballot that can’t be hacked, no lines, no crowds, no need for taking off work or getting child care. It would take a lot of work, but could possibly be put in place in more states around the country by November if there were sufficient will and resources to do so.
10
@Michele Yes, some WA counties like Kitsap where I live already use the self-sealing envelopes.
4
Next, Trump will declare a National Emergency and cancel the presidential election.
21
Vote by Mail's time has come! Vote by mail solves a lot of problems.
14
@Diane B Washington has vote by mail.
2
@Rob
And it’s postage paid so no worries about that either.
The perfect opportunity for the Trump criminal cartel to declare a "national emergency" and postpone/cancel the election. Can't happen? Think again. You can bet he already is.
17
Americans know that Republicans are useless in a national crisis and that it will take Democrats to fix what is broken.
17
@cbindc
LOL
As a Washington voter I'm more concerned that our envelopes ask you to check Republican or Democrat on the outside. It seems to be an invasion of privacy, and potential source of "missing" envelopes.Maybe I have too little faith in people. Licking envelopes is an antiquated practice that should be abolished. It's just unsanitary. And yes, many volunteers to open them are the most st risk in my community and others I'd imagine.
4
@Randeep Chauhan Exactly!! I actually moved to a conservative area in eastern WA a couple years ago and was quite uncomfortable about this designation on the outside of the envelope. Decided not to leave it in my box for the mailman to pick up, just in case our views don’t align ;). Dropped it at an official ballot box at the nearby library instead.
8
@Carol I went to college in Ellensburg so I get it!
Worrisome for Washington and elsewhere as from observation a good many poll working volunteers are often found to be civically minded senior citizens. Their presence and exposure is aregrettable vulnerability.
6
@Suburban Cowboy
Washington has vote by mail. No elderly poll workers will be harmed.
3
I hope the states are paying close attention and seriously planning ahead for this.
Nothing would make this administration happier than being able to undermine the elections. They wouldn't even need to call in international disruptors.
Let's not let Trump suddenly change course, decide that safety is paramount, and discourage people from voting. Then we all will lose.
41
@avrds Or perhaps cancel the election -national emergency. He's already licking his chops, no doubt. States better get those mail-in ballots ready- with self sealing envelopes and
adhesive stamps.
17
@zula
Here in WA we have postage-paid mail-in ballots. Some of the envelopes are self-sealing, according to another commenter from WA, but mine needed to be moistened. We'd been advised to use a damp sponge, which I did, but today it was reported that wasn't necessary.
2
I am sitting here at work in downtown Seattle (taking a break). I and none of my co-workers are ill, but we are getting set up to work from home. All the news says that novel Coronavirus can be wiped away with disinfectant wipes--so offer them at the upcoming polling stations and vote count locations. I bring one with me to the library and before I use the computer I clean the keyboard and the mouse, and the table, and let them dry before I begin typing, and I wash my hands on my way out. I never touch door knobs with my fingers. Sick people (coughers and sneezers) going to vote or attend a convention should assume they might have the virus and wear a mask as a precaution for the rest of us. Everyone should wash their hands upon leaving the polling location or be given hand-wipes or hand sanitizing solution when they exit. For the convention, have gloved and masked volunteers offer the hand-sanitizing lotion at the exits, to ensure empty bottles are replenished immediately. The Seattle Public library has set up some hand sanitizing gel stations but, they ran out of solution and were empty when I pressed the dispenser. This can't happen at these large public places, if we're being serious about stopping the spread of coronavirus. We need to focus our attention on protecting our elderly population. If we could get that under control, the numbers of deaths would go way down. People who have underlying disease will have to stay out of circulation as best they can.
13
Washington State not only has mail voting only, it also has automatic voter registration when you get a driver's license or state ID. We don't have to worry about voter intimidation or suppression. And if you don't trust the USPS you can take your ballot to an official drop box. I think every state should do this. Nobody has to take time off work, or go to the polls sick, or make snap decisions on down ballot candidates. We sit down with our ballots, the voter guides, and any trusted news sources, and we make informed decisions on who to vote for. We can do this over the course of days if we want to. And there is an unambiguous paper ballot should any questiona arise. I think this should be required by law in every state.
99
@Chef G Agreed! We have a great system, and it should be implemented in every state.
5
Personally, I would walk on hands and knees over broken glass to get Republicans out of power. Getting the coronavirus? It would be worth it, even if I died. At least my three daughters would have a higher chance of Democratic leadership who cared about them. They would have a higher chance of getting healthcare (and healthcare choices), affordable college, cleaner environment, cleaner energy, and mild climate. For them and their children I would vote for Democrats no matter what the risk.
206
@Sherry
But please vote by mail anyway!!
7
If Trump is losing in the polls this fall, I wouldn't be surprised if he declared a national emergency and suspended the election. In fact, I would expect it.
64
@Mikxe6
There was a time when I would have considered thinking like that to be hyperbolic and ludicrous but not anymore.
A move like that could not be effectively countered with marches, petitions, hand wringing, and pearl clutching. That would be a declaration of war so we better be prepared to fight.
5
@Mikxe6 I've been expecting it for two years. Remember Rudy wanted to extend his term without holding elections after 9/11? Now there's a "good" reason for Trump to declare martial law (although he'll probably announce marital law) and suspend elections. The Senate and the Supremes will back him. What might make him "think" twice is that the down ballot candidates (except incumbents) may be hurt.
otoh if Trump is losing in the polls, it would mean Putin needs to work harder.
5
As noted, here in Washington State all voting is done by mail. We just dropped off our ballots yesterday. The election is 8 months away which is enough time to adopt this method in all states, if we act now. Call or email your representative today.
57
Many of us have already voted in Washington State as we received our ballots a couple of weeks ago. Actually that was a problem as I voted for a candidate who is no longer running. The virus did not affect voting - only raised the risk fo the people working for the Secretary of State in Olympia. Actually the virus is unlikely to be transmitted from those envelopes which have spent a while waiting for the count to begin.
16
I am glad i am a senior Army vet and disabled . I can vote at home with an absentee ballot. With the epic center in Washington state shouldn’t the toll workers be forced to wipe the screens down on the election counting machines. I would think that should be mandatory. Glad i don’t need to leave my apartment.
1
@D.jjk Its all, everyone , by mail in WA. No poling places or screens.
1
If I am reading correctly, Congress does not permit absentee voting on bills and resolutions. As more and more officials go into quarantine, how does our legislative branch function?
4
@Skye Brainard I can't imagine that will notice any difference whatsoever in Mitch McConnell's Republican Senate. He sits on anything that comes from the House.
3
Shouldn't be a problem in the Senate, as McConnell doesn't allow bills up for votes!
3
Although the national elections are more than six months away, the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic may well be with us long beyond then.
Regarding our November elections, the most important thing is to ensure that they take place as scheduled. that no one is denied their right to vote, that everyone who needs transportation and identification has them, and that no tampering takes place during vote recording and counting.
By the way, if that bears a resemblance to the way every election should go, that's not a coincidence.
10
Isn't the solution obvious? The high turnout, high Republican demographic - old people - is at highest risk from voting in public places this year. Obviously the only fair solution to protect democracy, as envisioned by Senator Jar Jar Binks, is MEESA PROPOSE EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE POWERS for Donald Trump. Maybe suspend presidential elections until after the virus is gone. To protect democracy, of course.
Think it's not being floated as a possibility in the White House yet? Give it a week for the number crunchers to determine that coronavirus is worse for Republican turnout.
11
@Alex Be sure it's in the works.
2
The process used in Oregon solves all of the problems. Ballots are mailed to voters and then voters may mail them in or deposit them in conveniently located drop boxes. No opportunity for transmission of pathogens, no potentially contaminated voting machines to be sanitized, no potentially contagious poll workers, or fellow voters. See how easy that is?
Everyone who is serious about the future of this country needs to request absentee ballots right now!
31
Here in NC you have to jump through hoops to get an absentee ballot (request not sooner than or later than x days before the election). And then you need TWO people to certify with their signature and address that you are the person you say you are. We moved here just before an election and didn’t actually know two people to ask! If you travel for a living it’s ridiculous to have to go through this to vote.
28
@Delcie
You should be able to have the ballot notarized at your bank.
WA's mail in only election is too smart. It gives people time to vote, to have voter information in front of them while voting, in the privacy of their home.
38
@David
And I like that we have until 8 PM on voting day to get the ballot to a dropbox, if we so choose, instead of mailing it by Friday. Both options gave us time to see who dropped out. 13 candidates were still listed on the ballots! Too bad for people who thought they were being all efficient and voting as soon as they got their ballot. I wonder how many wasted their vote on a dropout.
1
The same situation here in France with local elections on 15 and 22 march. The IFOP pollster said today the 28 % of voters might drop-out due to the corona virus. Two different polls from other institutes showed comparable levels . The oldest, most exposed to the illness, feel the least concerned as they value their civic duty to vote more important. The exact contrary is true for the youngest voters. But with 64% in 2014 participation in local elections is not really impressive.
So, the question is: does the fear to get contaminated really change the abstention level ?
I guess fearing the coronavirus is just another good (and socially accepted) reason to abstain.
The pollster thinks that rumours and strife on social networks will influence those that are the most exposed, i.e. the younger. So, with a higher abstention rate in this age group the social networks might weight less than what we got accustomed during the Yellow Vest movement. And we'll get an advantage for the more conservative politicians who get elected by an older electorate.
Another tombstone for the yellow vest movement.
1
The only "fair" change to voting rules it no change. The major problems can be anticipated and mitigated by state election authorities without changing any rules. For example:
-- Start now ensuring that all nursing home patients and assisted living residents have absentee ballots.
-- Start now to ensure that every elderly person (say, over 60) who might be home bound in November has an absentee ballot.
-- Ramp up public information campaigns urging people to use mail in ballots in states where that is an option.
-- Recruit younger people as poll workers (eg, college students, people collecting unemployment compensation). Poll workers tend to be elderly because local officials want to patronize them.
-- Start now to expand the number of polling places. No one should ever have to wait in line for hours to vote anyway. This is more reason to eliminate that problem.
-- Train poll workers to take appropriate steps to mitigate possible transmission within polling places (eg, wear gloves, clean surfaces frequently throughout the day, etc.)
There are probably other steps without changing any rules. Of all the things that should not be disrupted by the outbreak, the election is Number One.
20
Let all pay attention to absentee-ballot infrastructure provided in states of Washington and Oregon as noted by others here.
3
@John Burke
Keep it simpler. Go all absentee with no postage required. That’s what we’ve got. Works beautifully.
3
@Sarah Well, the would be a change in the rules when the campaigns are already underway.
I am an Illinois voter. Because I’m currently out of state, I will use a mail-in ballot. Illinois allows all voters to vote by mail. This should be the rule, rather than the exception. Our primary is on the 17th. Whether in town or not in November I will, most likely, vote by mail again. That way I can have my vote in, no matter what happens on Election Day. Voting is too important to skip.
It would be nice if all voters could vote online, but I understand that could create election security concerns.
15
California has had a system of Permanent Absentee Voter for some time now. You get your ballot a few weeks ahead of the election day, can take your time and fill it out at home. Then just pop it in the mail (no postage needed) or drop it off at the registrar of voters or at any polling place on election day. Millions voted this way during our primary. No muss, no fuss, your vote is not hackable.
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@Bruce1253 Yep - I've voted this way every election in other countries for decades. Should be available to every voter (and auto-enrolment with opt-out at 18 while we're at it).
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@Bruce1253
All voting in Oregon is by mail-in ballots.
10
In my state, we can do mailed ballots. It seems to me that if states act now, all could do the same. It seems simple enough.
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Voting is/should be a fundamental right. Anything that is done during the epidemic to limit or discourage voting must be able to survive strict scrutiny. It must be 1) necessary to achieve a "compelling state interest" of slowing the epidemic; 2) "narrowly tailored" to achieve that purpose; and 3) use the "least restrictive means."
But Republicans are famous for cheating. Witness the long lines in Texas where Democrats stood in line for 6 hours while Republican machines stood unused. Witness North Carolina re-drawing its maps to eliminate black votes with "surgical precision." Etc, etc, etc. The truth is, Republicans can't win without cheating, they know it, and they are happy as Trump mobsters to do it.
We must watch them like hawks and sue them to prevent cheating if at all possible.
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@Sherry Keep an eye on Scotus.
2
@Sherry I agree completely. The Republicans, with Russian help, will use every dirty trick in the book to influence the election. It’s likely there will be additions to the book of dirty tricks this time around.
3
With any other president, I'd say it's paranoid to think he would use this virus in the fall to swing this election to his advantage. But consider the factors. If this is like the flu, it will ebb in the summer and resurface just as we hit fall. The most dense/highly populated areas lean democratic. Is it too much to imagine that this administration, which uses the authoritarian playbook as its bible, would use this virus to impose mass quarantines in these areas right as we are set to go to the polls? This is something we need to start considering and planning for now.
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@Jill
It's also the most common way elected leaders overstay their term limits. They postpone or delay or cancel the election, and then their supreme court affirms the theft. We are in seriously dangerous territory right now.
3
Call your representatives and tell them to let everyone vote by mail.
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@Andrew Roberts
You are right, they could declare a federal emergency, postponing elections that could go on an on while they do more damage. From Britannica Encyclopedia “ Reichstag fire, burning of the Reichstag (parliament) building in Berlin, on the night of February 27, 1933, a key event in the establishment of the Nazi dictatorship and widely believed to have been contrived by the newly formed Nazi government itself to turn public opinion against its opponents and to assume emergency powers.”
I would never wish ill on anyone and I want free, fair elections... but there would be a great irony if, after years of Republican voting obstructionism, we had an election in which the elderly were motivated to stay away from the polls.
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@T Montoya
That is dark. But I am not going to be upset if the fallout from this outbreak knocks down Trump and the GOP.
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@T Montoya - what’s keeping the youth away from the polls - lethargy, apathy, or ignorance?
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@T Montoya I'm "elderly" I guarantee I'm voting, as is everyone in my age group that I know
4
Washington votes by mail. One may also drop your ballot at one of many municipal drop boxes. Not too much will change during an ‘outbreak’, unless the postal service stops working.
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@Zackery Cobb -- Washington also has Accessible Voting Units --- pollling places set up for those who need to vote in actual person.
Accessible voting units (AVUs) are available starting 18 days before Election Day, until 8 p.m. on Election Day.
For specific dates that AVU voting is available at your county elections department, see voter dates and deadlines.
Every county must have at least one AVU at each voting center.
AVUs must be wheelchair-accessible and screened from other voters to maintain privacy.
An AVU presents your ballot on a monitor. You select choices by touching the screen, using a select wheel, or by using a tool. You can use headphones to listen to the text and prompts on your ballot.
Most machines can also be fitted with sip-and- puff tools.
https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/voters/voters-with-disabilities.aspx
7
Yet another reason to vote by mail, as we do in Oregon. Don't need to worry about weather, time off from work, illness, agoraphobia, travel. Republicans hate it because it increases voter "turnout." This country, the richest in the world, is so backwards in so many ways, and now we're sliding into chaos, without a leader.
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Νever mind voting, rallies are the real problem. If Trump can't hold his, he'll probably find a way to call of the election. I don't trust the Republican Senate or Supreme Court to stop him, either.
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@S North
Let him hold his rallies and allow the chips to fall where they may. His people value their liberty and freedom to choose so highly, let them decide and do what they want while intelligent people stay home and protect themselves.
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@S North
Unfathomable that he'd stop holding his rallies. Who's going to stop him? You're right; NOBODY. He's already talking no precautions whatsoever, and signaling that people can just carry on as usual.
1
Question: Will likely changes to how voting is conducted this November encourage or deter cyber interference by the Russians and other bad actors? And how much will this pandemic affect numbers of voter?
If only more states had mail-in ballots like Oregon.
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Biden is safer than Sanders, as a Biden rally is a contradiction in terms.
4
I believe mail-in ballots are the way to go here.
Start now, and skip the whining later. Now.
Now, before 'somebody' dreams up a way to postpone or cancel the upcoming Federal Election.
This is not hard to figure out, everyone, call your representatives.
Now is the time.
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@Stephen Csiszar
Absolutely agree. Go all absentee ballot all across America. In WA state where we are ground zero of the virus we got our ballots two weeks ago. Total absentee system that we are very happy with. It has a tear off confirmation strip that one keeps if follow up is needed. I haven’t met anyone who wants to go back to an in person system. The only thing we miss is seeing our neighbors at the old polling places. But with the virus, we’re okay with that at the moment.
Glad to hear WA poll workers will wear gloves. Makes sense for any mass handling of anything and not just for corona virus. We’ve been told the virus doesn’t last days long on a surface and most envelopes are going to sit in a mailbox for hours before picked up. But any virologist reading this could comment on the accuracy of this.
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@Sarah
In general for viruses on surfaces it's hours, not days. You may recall CDC early on said something about not worrying over packages from China.
Once they dry out, they're dead. Hand washing after handling stuff other people handled recently is sufficient.
Surfaces like desks in schools, doorknobs, subway poles etc., should be considered contaminated, but only need soap and water to be safe.
Changing over to nationwide vote-by-mail would save money and save lives as well.
12
@DataDrivenFP According to "Persistence of coronaviruses on inanimate surfaces and their inactivation with biocidal agents," a study published in The Journal of Hospital Infection:
"Human coronaviruses can remain infectious on inanimate surfaces for up to 9 days. Surface disinfection with 0.1% sodium hypochlorite or 62–71% ethanol significantly reduces coronavirus infectivity on surfaces within 1 min exposure time. We expect a similar effect against the SARS-CoV-2."
So it's not hours, it's possibly days that the germs survive.
1
Force your state to adopt vote by mail. After being able to vote at my kitchen counter with three news papers and Google I would never go back to a polling place. Our current system is corrupt and only kept in place by people who think that they will be able to use that corruption to their advantage. No where else would an election where the head of an electronic voting machine company said he would deliver voters to a candidate be acceptable. Vote by mail is safe, effective, and highly resistant to tampering.
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One wonders what nefarious tactics Trump and his supporters will concoct to exploit the coronavirus pandemic to pull off a win in November. Given what he and his party have done since his 2016 election, anything is possible. I hope Biden or Sanders is considering the new uncertainties and what if anything can be done to mitigate a final assault on our democracy by Trump.
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All states should implement balloting by mail, with self stick envelopes (the ones with a plastic strip you take off and seal without licking). Or else try to establish a secure on-line voting system, a little harder to do. This shouldn't be too hard, California has been doing this for years. Ballots can be mailed or put in secure metal boxes (like mail boxes) at various locations. Do it now.
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@Eero
Putting elections online would be one of the stupidest things our government could do.
1
All registered voters in the state of Washington should have been mailed ballots with no-postage-required envelopes so they could vote by mail. They could still do that, and extend the date by which those ballots need to be postmarked. And the states that have upcoming primaries should follow suit. I live in Illinois, and for the first time ever, I requested a mail-in ballot.
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@AB Oops. Missed the part where Washington does vote by mail. I understand the concern about licked envelopes. Maybe other states could use those peel and stick envelopes instead.
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@AB You should wear gloves when doing any big task like this, though the fear from the envelope is likely nonsense. You should wear gloves no matter what as paper can also cut.