Progressive groups press for mail-in voting

More than 50 progressive organizations signed an open letter Monday calling on Congress to appropriate $4 billion to states to boost mail-in voting efforts in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The groups — which were led by Stand Up America and included Greenpeace USA, Planned Parenthood, and the Sierra Club — strongly urged the leaders of the House and Senate to immediately pass legislation that included funds for states to allow elections to go forward this year.

“Congress has an obligation to safeguard the integrity of our elections by setting national voting rights standards and providing state officials with urgent financial support so that they can institute these common-sense reforms while there is still time,” the groups wrote.

They said Congress should give states funding to go toward giving every voter the option to vote-by-mail, extending in-person early voting, expanding registration and educating voters about their voting options.

“None of us know how long this pandemic will last,” the groups emphasized. “Failing to provide states with this necessary funding puts the November elections and the rights of every voter at risk.”

Some funds already given to states: The coronavirus stimulus package signed into law by President Trump last month included $400 million to help states put on elections this year during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The legislation did not include any specific mandates for how states could spend the money, and required states to match the funds by 20 percent, an issue some state officials have said could be difficult to accomplish.