[EL] Klobuchar/Wyden bill

[Douglas Johnson]

I support widespread access to vote-by-mail, but I would agree on the
importance of the bill limiting "ballot harvesting" and taking other steps
to enhance public confidence in the vote-by-mail system. As an example of
the types of "events" undermining public confidence in voting by mail, here
is a 2020 election article summarizing union organizing of "voting
parties," where people bring in and fill out together their mail ballots:
https://www.anaheimblog.net/2020/02/27/ballot-parties-all-the-rage-on-the-left/
While
that article from a pro-business website chronicles union-organized "voting
parties," this is not one-sided issue, as historically there were lots of
examples of employers doing very similar things.

I recognize limits on "ballot harvesting" would not prevent these types of
parties. But strict limits would at least give those who feel pressured to
fill out a ballot a certain way could then "spoil" their ballot afterwards
and get a new one, instead of having to fill out and hand out the ballot
right there at the event.

- Doug

Douglas Johnson
Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College

On Wed, Mar 18, 2020 at 3:50 PM Marty Lederman <
Martin.Lederman at law.georgetown.edu> wrote:

> Here's the bill
> <https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/9/1/91a07f05-b6b3-4c6e-a363-652ecbe16ac0/142B6E0F07685857CC10772388587756.natural-disaster-and-emergency-ballot-act-of-2020.pdf>.
> I'd deeply appreciate people's thoughts on its merits/possible problems.
> Thanks
>
> On Wed, Mar 18, 2020 at 7:47 AM Marty Lederman <
> Martin.Lederman at law.georgetown.edu> wrote:
>
>> They announced the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act last Friday
>> <https://www.klobuchar.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/2020/3/with-unprecedented-disruptions-expected-from-coronavirus-klobuchar-and-wyden-introduce-bill-to-ensure-americans-are-still-able-to-vote>,
>> but I haven't been able to find any bill language anywhere, and
>> Congress.com doesn't show it as having yet been introduced.
>>
>> Does the summary description sound promising?  Sufficient?
>>
>> If anyone finds the language, please send along, thanks.
>>
>> FWIW, I'm inclined to think that Congress should simply require states to
>> adopt the Oregon method before November, to wit:
>>
>> County clerks mail official ballots to all registered voters between
>> Oct. 14-20.  Voters can mail the ballots back or deposit them at a
>> central location (a "polling" place) at any time between when they receive
>> them and election day (but they must be *received *by election day).
>> And if a ballot mailed to a voter is destroyed, spoiled, lost, or never
>> received, the voter may request and easily obtain a replacement ballot.
>>
>> Several of you who support widespread VbM and who know much more about
>> such things than I do have cautioned me offline that it'd be
>> difficult/hazardous to impose such a requirement nationwide for this year's
>> general election (even if it's an ideal solution for future elections).  I
>> remain puzzled about why all states couldn't implement it if they began
>> doing so now--why it's not an easier lift than a bunch of other emergency
>> initiatives that are occurring as we speak--but I'm duly chastened by the
>> skepticism of those of you who are more in-the-know.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Marty Lederman
>> Georgetown University Law Center
>> 600 New Jersey Avenue, NW
>> Washington, DC 20001
>> 202-662-9937
>>
>>
>
> --
> Marty Lederman
> Georgetown University Law Center
> 600 New Jersey Avenue, NW
> Washington, DC 20001
> 202-662-9937
>
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-- 
- Doug

Douglas Johnson
National Demographics Corporation
djohnson at NDCresearch.com
phone 310-200-2058
fax 818-254-1221
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