Category: Government / Topics: Culture • Education • Government
by Stu Johnson
Posted: August 221, 2020
Will COVID-19 affect the way you vote?…
The question I'm posing (for American voters) is not about who you should vote for, but how you should vote. The COVD-19 pandemic has increased interest in and political pressure to move toward mail-in voting.
My purpose here is to help you see the issues and decide what, for you, is the best way to vote in November, an election that will not only determine the presidency, but dozens of "down ballot" positions and issues from the federal to local levels. I will keep the details simple, but try to hit the key points you need to be aware of so you can continue researching on our own.
First, it is necessary to begin with the fact that while the U.S. Constitution broadly addresses the right to vote and Congress can set certain parameters (such as the date of federal elections), responsibility for maintaining voter rolls and administering elections falls to the states, where most of them handle the details at the county level. There are more than 3,000 counties (or similar units of government) in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In my own state of Illinois there are 102 counties.
Therefore, if you don't know how elections work where you live, you need to find out. As an example, I can find out everything I need to know by going to my county election website (DuPageCo.org/Election). Hopefully, you will have something just as good where you live.
As a general rule, you need be at least 18 years old, be a U.S. citizen, and meet the residency requirements of your state to vote in a federal election. For other elections, some jurisdictions relax the citizenship and residency requirements, so check with your local election authority.
These may vary by state, so check the details where you live.
In-person on election day. In its most direct form, voting is done by going to your precinct polling place (or designated location), filling out your ballot (paper or electronic) and, in the case of paper or punch card, personally placing the completed ballot in a sealed ballot box.
Absentee voting has been available for a long time. It guarantees that you can cast your vote even if you cannot physically go to your polling place on election day. This includes military, students and others who are away from home, as well as those with health issues and other circumstances that prevent appearing in person. This is usually done by mail, but in some states can be done electronically.
Early voting is a more recent option now available in many states. It has typically been a form of in-person voting, available in a smaller number of locations than polling places on election day, but it provides a wider window of time in which to vote. Since early voting can vary from state to state, be sure to check if and how it is available in your area.
Mail-in voting is receiving a lot of attention this year as individuals and states struggle with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is presented as a safe way to vote and there is some evidence that voter participation is higher where vote-by-mail is available
There are several factors to consider regarding the integrity of your vote:
I agree that I shall return the ballot(s) to the election authority issuing the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election or if returned by mail, postmarked no later than Election Day for counting no later than during the counting for provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day following election day.This raised several questions, the answers to which illustrate the crazy-quilt system of voting in America. Mind you, while there may be reasonable arguments for more national control and uniformity, it illustrates our history as a federal republic—the United States of America—where state and local authority is part of our national DNA. The system does require an informed electorate.
My wife and I will likely continue to vote in person at our polling place on Election Day. Our experience with the spring primary election was no different than shopping, where people in our area have been observant of COVID protocols and our small polling place was not crowded.
You have to judge your own situation. Do all you can to be an informed voter, knowing exactly how things work where you live. If you do choose to vote-by-mail, be sure you understand how it works in your area—and don't procrastinate! Also, check out Jim Watkin's article this week on SeniorLIfestyle.org, "The Truth About Lying," with some good tips on fact-checking sites and preserving your personal credibility, especially when discussing politics!.
This article also appears on SeniorLiferstyle.org, which Stu edits.
Search all articles by Stu Johnson
Stu Johnson is owner of Stuart Johnson & Associates, a communications consultancy in Wheaton, Illinois focused on "making information make sense."
• E-mail the author (moc.setaicossajs@uts*)* For web-based email, you may need to copy and paste the address yourself.
Posted: August 221, 2020 Accessed 3,742 times
Go to the list of most recent InfoMatters Blogs
Search InfoMatters (You can expand the search to the entire site)
Category: Government / Topics: Culture • Education • Government
by Stu Johnson
Posted: August 221, 2020
Will COVID-19 affect the way you vote?…
The question I'm posing (for American voters) is not about who you should vote for, but how you should vote. The COVD-19 pandemic has increased interest in and political pressure to move toward mail-in voting.
My purpose here is to help you see the issues and decide what, for you, is the best way to vote in November, an election that will not only determine the presidency, but dozens of "down ballot" positions and issues from the federal to local levels. I will keep the details simple, but try to hit the key points you need to be aware of so you can continue researching on our own.
First, it is necessary to begin with the fact that while the U.S. Constitution broadly addresses the right to vote and Congress can set certain parameters (such as the date of federal elections), responsibility for maintaining voter rolls and administering elections falls to the states, where most of them handle the details at the county level. There are more than 3,000 counties (or similar units of government) in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In my own state of Illinois there are 102 counties.
Therefore, if you don't know how elections work where you live, you need to find out. As an example, I can find out everything I need to know by going to my county election website (DuPageCo.org/Election). Hopefully, you will have something just as good where you live.
As a general rule, you need be at least 18 years old, be a U.S. citizen, and meet the residency requirements of your state to vote in a federal election. For other elections, some jurisdictions relax the citizenship and residency requirements, so check with your local election authority.
These may vary by state, so check the details where you live.
In-person on election day. In its most direct form, voting is done by going to your precinct polling place (or designated location), filling out your ballot (paper or electronic) and, in the case of paper or punch card, personally placing the completed ballot in a sealed ballot box.
Absentee voting has been available for a long time. It guarantees that you can cast your vote even if you cannot physically go to your polling place on election day. This includes military, students and others who are away from home, as well as those with health issues and other circumstances that prevent appearing in person. This is usually done by mail, but in some states can be done electronically.
Early voting is a more recent option now available in many states. It has typically been a form of in-person voting, available in a smaller number of locations than polling places on election day, but it provides a wider window of time in which to vote. Since early voting can vary from state to state, be sure to check if and how it is available in your area.
Mail-in voting is receiving a lot of attention this year as individuals and states struggle with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is presented as a safe way to vote and there is some evidence that voter participation is higher where vote-by-mail is available
There are several factors to consider regarding the integrity of your vote:
I agree that I shall return the ballot(s) to the election authority issuing the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election or if returned by mail, postmarked no later than Election Day for counting no later than during the counting for provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day following election day.This raised several questions, the answers to which illustrate the crazy-quilt system of voting in America. Mind you, while there may be reasonable arguments for more national control and uniformity, it illustrates our history as a federal republic—the United States of America—where state and local authority is part of our national DNA. The system does require an informed electorate.
My wife and I will likely continue to vote in person at our polling place on Election Day. Our experience with the spring primary election was no different than shopping, where people in our area have been observant of COVID protocols and our small polling place was not crowded.
You have to judge your own situation. Do all you can to be an informed voter, knowing exactly how things work where you live. If you do choose to vote-by-mail, be sure you understand how it works in your area—and don't procrastinate! Also, check out Jim Watkin's article this week on SeniorLIfestyle.org, "The Truth About Lying," with some good tips on fact-checking sites and preserving your personal credibility, especially when discussing politics!.
This article also appears on SeniorLiferstyle.org, which Stu edits.
Search all articles by Stu Johnson
Stu Johnson is owner of Stuart Johnson & Associates, a communications consultancy in Wheaton, Illinois focused on "making information make sense."
• E-mail the author (moc.setaicossajs@uts*)* For web-based email, you may need to copy and paste the address yourself.
Posted: August 221, 2020 Accessed 3,743 times
Go to the list of most recent InfoMatters Blogs
Search InfoMatters (You can expand the search to the entire site)
Category: Government / Topics: Culture • Education • Government
by Stu Johnson
Posted: August 221, 2020
Will COVID-19 affect the way you vote?…
The question I'm posing (for American voters) is not about who you should vote for, but how you should vote. The COVD-19 pandemic has increased interest in and political pressure to move toward mail-in voting.
My purpose here is to help you see the issues and decide what, for you, is the best way to vote in November, an election that will not only determine the presidency, but dozens of "down ballot" positions and issues from the federal to local levels. I will keep the details simple, but try to hit the key points you need to be aware of so you can continue researching on our own.
First, it is necessary to begin with the fact that while the U.S. Constitution broadly addresses the right to vote and Congress can set certain parameters (such as the date of federal elections), responsibility for maintaining voter rolls and administering elections falls to the states, where most of them handle the details at the county level. There are more than 3,000 counties (or similar units of government) in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. In my own state of Illinois there are 102 counties.
Therefore, if you don't know how elections work where you live, you need to find out. As an example, I can find out everything I need to know by going to my county election website (DuPageCo.org/Election). Hopefully, you will have something just as good where you live.
As a general rule, you need be at least 18 years old, be a U.S. citizen, and meet the residency requirements of your state to vote in a federal election. For other elections, some jurisdictions relax the citizenship and residency requirements, so check with your local election authority.
These may vary by state, so check the details where you live.
In-person on election day. In its most direct form, voting is done by going to your precinct polling place (or designated location), filling out your ballot (paper or electronic) and, in the case of paper or punch card, personally placing the completed ballot in a sealed ballot box.
Absentee voting has been available for a long time. It guarantees that you can cast your vote even if you cannot physically go to your polling place on election day. This includes military, students and others who are away from home, as well as those with health issues and other circumstances that prevent appearing in person. This is usually done by mail, but in some states can be done electronically.
Early voting is a more recent option now available in many states. It has typically been a form of in-person voting, available in a smaller number of locations than polling places on election day, but it provides a wider window of time in which to vote. Since early voting can vary from state to state, be sure to check if and how it is available in your area.
Mail-in voting is receiving a lot of attention this year as individuals and states struggle with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is presented as a safe way to vote and there is some evidence that voter participation is higher where vote-by-mail is available
There are several factors to consider regarding the integrity of your vote:
I agree that I shall return the ballot(s) to the election authority issuing the same prior to the closing of the polls on the date of the election or if returned by mail, postmarked no later than Election Day for counting no later than during the counting for provisional ballots, the last day of which is the 14th day following election day.This raised several questions, the answers to which illustrate the crazy-quilt system of voting in America. Mind you, while there may be reasonable arguments for more national control and uniformity, it illustrates our history as a federal republic—the United States of America—where state and local authority is part of our national DNA. The system does require an informed electorate.
My wife and I will likely continue to vote in person at our polling place on Election Day. Our experience with the spring primary election was no different than shopping, where people in our area have been observant of COVID protocols and our small polling place was not crowded.
You have to judge your own situation. Do all you can to be an informed voter, knowing exactly how things work where you live. If you do choose to vote-by-mail, be sure you understand how it works in your area—and don't procrastinate! Also, check out Jim Watkin's article this week on SeniorLIfestyle.org, "The Truth About Lying," with some good tips on fact-checking sites and preserving your personal credibility, especially when discussing politics!.
This article also appears on SeniorLiferstyle.org, which Stu edits.
Search all articles by Stu Johnson
Stu Johnson is owner of Stuart Johnson & Associates, a communications consultancy in Wheaton, Illinois focused on "making information make sense."
• E-mail the author (moc.setaicossajs@uts*)* For web-based email, you may need to copy and paste the address yourself.
Posted: August 221, 2020 Accessed 3,744 times
Go to the list of most recent InfoMatters Blogs
Search InfoMatters (You can expand the search to the entire site)