States begin shifting to mail-in voting

The coronavirus pandemic is leading to major shifts in how Americans vote across the country and is forcing some of the most restrictive voting states to embrace change in their election procedures.

The change is most apparent on the East Coast, where governors from New England to the South are signaling a new willingness to expand voting measures such as early voting and mail-in ballots, and on Capitol Hill, where leaders including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) are strongly in support.

Support for these efforts is being spurred on by the public, with Democracy Corps finding in a poll conducted over the past month that more than 70 percent of Americans living in key battleground states are in favor of no-excuse absentee voting, which allows for voters to request an absentee ballot without having to state a reason.

Some Republicans, including President Trump, are still staunchly against voting by mail, arguing it could lead to voter fraud and lessen election chances for their party.

But not all are opposed: A number of Republican governors from states slow to embrace vote-by-mail measures have signaled a newfound openness to it amid the pandemic.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) announced earlier this month he will allow absentee voting in the Granite State’s September primary, notably adding that he would be open to expanding the practice for the general election if the coronavirus still poses a health threat.

In Massachusetts, Gov. Charlie Baker (R) approved legislation last month that would permit communities in the state to implement mail-only or expanded absentee voting for state and local elections through June. The approval did not extend to the state’s September primary.

Meanwhile, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) ordered the state’s June 2 primary to be vote-by-mail and allowed a limited number of polling locations to remain open for those who cannot vote by mail.