Democrats call for all absentee mail-in ballot election

The Idaho Democratic Party is calling for the May 19 primary election to be held entirely by absentee mail to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

Van Beechler, chair of the Idaho Democratic Party, wrote a letter to Gov. Brad Little and Secretary of State Lawerence Denney, recommending that “voters have the ability to submit absentee ballot requests online and request that forms be sent by mail to every registered Idaho voter.”

“Under the current and projected conditions involving COVID-19, it does not seem viable for Idaho to hold enfranchising and meaningful elections in May if those elections are held in-person at regular polling places,” Beechler wrote. “Many of Idaho’s poll workers are older adults who have been advised by the CDC to remain at home in order to avoid exposure to COVID-19.”

Beechler urged Idaho counties to send ballot request forms to registered voters, and the Secretary of State to implement an accessible online absentee ballot request function.

The letter released Wednesday also says:

“Not implementing a program like this will result in voter disenfranchisement, logistical barriers and a spreading of the COVID-19 to our population and endangering our most vulnerable. An accessible vote-by-absentee-mail election in which absentee ballot request forms are mailed to every registered voter or voters submit the form online is the only realistic and most accessible option that ensures meaningful participation in the election while also protecting public health.

“As part of the emergency declarations the Governor issues, he should immediately order that the May 19 state primary election be held entirely by absentee mail. In order for elections offices to obtain the supplies and otherwise manage the logistics of mailing ballots to every eligible voter for the May elections (which is only nine weeks away), we must act quickly.”