Submitted by John Stella
Please join me writing a letter now to Secretary of the Commonwealth Bill Galvin, asking him to move away from the vote by mail program, because the COVID-19 crisis is over.
Last month, Massachusetts used early voting, in person voting, and absentee ballots. We saw a drop in the vote by mail program during the March 5th primary. Massachusetts voters have spoken.
Early voting helps to cut down long lines and also helps to speed up the voting process on Election Day.
It is time for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to drop and eliminate vote by mail program now. Time for our state voters to focus and move on with early voting, in person voting, and absentee ballots to do more. Time to drop vote by mail now.
Please join me to write two letters now:
1.) The Honorable Bill Galvin, Secretary of the Commonwealth, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02133
2.) The Honorable Bill Galvin, Secretary of Commonwealth, Elections Division, Room 1705, One Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02133
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I was concerned enough that vote by mail was under threat to contact the Secretary of State’s office. They very politely told me that vote by mail authority is part of the state’s early voting law. Changing any part of that would require legislative action. Writing to the secretary of state, either pro or con, has no effect.
It’s pretty hilarious to write this letter then post another about Military Appreciation Month, when traditionally the only option for those posted overseas to vote in their home state is to do so by mail.
Bad idea. The mail-in voting option (and the manner in which it is currently implemented) is very useful for many people with problems getting to the polls or other issues that interfere with in-person voting. Mail-in voting does no harm. And those who enjoy (as I once did) the act of appearing at the voting booth can continue to do so.
Your mileage may vary I suppose. I love vote by mail. I am so much more likely to participate in an election if vote by mail is an option.
The writer provides no reasons to drop this program other than “the covid-19 crisis is over.” What is he suggesting would be gained by eliminating voting by mail? Please be aware that this program is of great benefit to elderly and disabled persons for whom voting in person may be difficult or impossible.
I don’t understand why the vote by mail program should be dropped. For many of us, the ability to cast our votes without having to physically visit a site (via early voting or on election day) is a godsend. It seems to me that anything that increases voter participation is worth keeping. I will do as Mr. Stella asks and contact Secretary Galvin, but it will be to support keeping the vote by mail program.
I find mail in voting to be convenient and easy. What is the purpose to make voting more difficult? That seems to be the opposite of what is needed.
I would ask the author why voting by mail must be eliminated. The drop in the vote-by-mail program usage is not itself a mandate from voters to end the program; it is a choice by more voters not to use it themselves.
Is the author’s concern about the inefficiency of having multiple options? Is it about voter fraud? Something else? If there is a harm here, I’m not yet clear on what it is, and would want to understand more before I am persuaded to advocate for change.
Is there a reason we can’t have both vote by mail and in-person early voting? There are number of people in the community who have trouble getting to Town Hall and vote by mail lets them participate in elections.