This archive report was first published on 4 August 2020.
As the November election approaches, voting rights advocates are sounding the alarm about the need for Congress to act quickly to ensure safe and secure elections.
According to Sylvia Albert, director of voting and elections at Common Cause, states need time to make necessary changes and plans, recruit and train workers, buy equipment, and do outreach to the public about new voting processes.
Ms. Albert pointed out that primary elections this year have exposed significant barriers to voting, particularly for Black and brown voters, who face long lines, polling place closures, and high rates of ballot rejection.
“Longstanding disparities, including long lines, the ballot rejection rates, particularly of Black and brown communities, are now exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said.
Several states, including Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Indiana, experienced voting machine glitches and other failures that contributed to long waits.
David Levine, an elections integrity fellow with the Alliance for Securing Democracy, noted that many states and counties lack the resources needed to offer alternatives for safe and secure elections, such as robust voting by mail, early voting, and Election Day options.
The stimulus law enacted in March provided $400 million to states for administering elections, but one study found that the need was 10 times that amount.
