United Way COVID-19 Response Ideas

The United States has an infamously disjointed election system with each state, county, and even sometimes individual cities having different election processes. As we continue to face down this pandemic, election day nears ever closer and we need to act decisively, and at a large scale, to help voters register for absentee or vote-by-mail (VBM) ballots and understand how they work. Countless studies have shown that voting... more »

As of July, 20, 2020, 17 states require voters to submit their absentee application in person or by mail. These states do not accept absentee applications via Email, Fax, or by phone. During this pandemic, some voters may not be comfortable going to their local election office to apply for an absentee ballot because they are afraid of contracting COVID-19.

So, this leaves voters the option of mailing an absentee application... more »

COVID creates a few issues surrounding in-person voting. First, it makes voting unsafe due to the close proximity of voting lines as well as the extended period of interaction while waiting in those lines. It also is an issue considering the large number of people that vote at each polling location. This will discourage voters form making it to the polls. Secondly, it generally makes lines much longer. With cities and... more »