[EL] Quick answer appreciated: Mailing absentee ballot requests to all registered voters vs. Mailing vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters

Wed May 27 12:21:46 PDT 2020

It’s also important to remember that 57.79% of California voters cast an absentee ballot in 2016 and 65.31% cast an absentee ballot in 2018 (https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/historical-absentee/ <https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/historical-absentee/>) Most readers on the list probably also know that California has a version of automatic voter registration.

I mention both of these because the context of universal ballot delivery in CA is different than in other states that have historically had lower absentee ballot usage and who have not put in place as many voter registration modernization reforms.

Point 1: Administrators that I have heard speak say that when a system approaches or passes 60%, you are practically in a full vote by mail situation.  I’m not saying that this means CA should move to a full, universal ballot delivery vote by mail system down the road, that’s for the citizens of California to decide. But one of the concerns is that states can’t cope with an enormous jump in the number of mail ballots. California counties are much better prepared than in states where absentee ballot usage has been far lower.

Second, and on this latter point there are experts better positioned than me, but substantial use of vote by mail ballots already, plus automatic and online voter registration, should mean that the California voter rolls are relatively cleaner than in a state that does not constantly updates records after DMV transitions and via feedback from the USPS.

That’s makes me much more confident that California can handle a November election where they mail ballots to every registered voters. Others may disagree, and I welcome any corrections on the points I made here.

Thanks!
Paul G.
---
Paul Gronke
Professor, Reed College
Director, Early Voting Information Center
http://earlyvoting.net

General Inquiries: Laura Swann swannla at reed.edu

Media Inquiries: Kevin Myers myersk at reed.edu

> On May 27, 2020, at 11:29 AM, David Becker <dbecker at electioninnovation.org> wrote:
> 
> “Active” and “inactive” voters are designation in the statewide voter registration database, in compliance with the NVRA. All voters start as active. I’m not exactly sure how CA does it, but if they’re like most other states, if a mailing comes back as undeliverable, they may be moved to “inactive” where they will stay for at least two federal election cycles, after which time they can be removed from the lists. So an “active” voter is one that isn’t “inactive” or otherwise suspended or cancelled.
> 
> David J. Becker | Executive Director and Founder
> Center for Election Innovation & Research
> 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1040, Washington, DC  20036
> (202) 550-3470 (mobile) | dbecker at electioninnovation.org <mailto:dbecker at electioninnovation.org>
> www.electioninnovation.org <http://www.electioninnovation.org/> | @beckerdavidj
> 
> From: Mark Scarberry <mark.scarberry at pepperdine.edu>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2020 2:26 PM
> To: David Becker <dbecker at electioninnovation.org>; law-election at uci.edu
> Subject: Re: [EL] Quick answer appreciated: Mailing absentee ballot requests to all registered voters vs. Mailing vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters
> 
> My thanks to all of you who have responded. David, do you know how “active voter” will be defined?
> 
> Mark
> 
> Mark S. Scarberry
> Professor of Law
> Pepperdine University
> Rick J. Caruso School of Law
> From: David Becker <dbecker at electioninnovation.org <mailto:dbecker at electioninnovation.org>>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2020 10:31:30 AM
> To: Mark Scarberry <mark.scarberry at pepperdine.edu <mailto:mark.scarberry at pepperdine.edu>>; law-election at uci.edu <mailto:law-election at uci.edu> <law-election at uci.edu <mailto:law-election at uci.edu>>
> Subject: RE: [EL] Quick answer appreciated: Mailing absentee ballot requests to all registered voters vs. Mailing vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters
> 
> As I’ve confirmed with the Secretary of State’s office, in California “registered voters” in this context means only active registered voters. Any voter in inactive status, or any other eligible voter, will have to go to a polling location to either activate their registration or register to vote in the first place, and they will receive a ballot to vote there.
> 
> David J. Becker | Executive Director and Founder
> Center for Election Innovation & Research
> 1120 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1040, Washington, DC  20036
> (202) 550-3470 (mobile) | dbecker at electioninnovation.org <mailto:dbecker at electioninnovation.org>
> www.electioninnovation.org <http://www.electioninnovation.org/> | @beckerdavidj
> 
> From: Law-election <law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu <mailto:law-election-bounces at department-lists.uci.edu>> On Behalf Of Mark Scarberry
> Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2020 12:28 PM
> To: law-election at uci.edu <mailto:law-election at uci.edu>
> Subject: [EL] Quick answer appreciated: Mailing absentee ballot requests to all registered voters vs. Mailing vote-by-mail ballots to all registered voters
> 
> California Gov. Newsom has ordered that actual ballots be mailed to all registered voters. If I recall correctly, a lot of list members who often disagree on absentee ballot issues agree that it is not wise to mail actual ballots to every registered voter.
> 
> Am I right? I think I recall Rick (Hasen) agreeing on that point, but I can't find the email or source. Didn't an earlier election integrity commission recommend against mailing actual ballots?
> 
> Sorry for the senior moment here.
> 
> I have a media request and don't want to get this wrong. I won't use anyone's name unless you give me permission or unless I"m pointed to something you've written about publicly (not just on this list -- I don't refer to anything anyone has said on an Internet list using their name)..
> 
> Mark
> 
> 
> <image002.jpg>
> Caruso School of Law
> 
> Mark S. Scarberry
> Professor of Law
> mark.scarberry at pepperdine.edu <mailto:mark.scarberry at pepperdine.edu>
> 
> 
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