2020 Presidential Election: Voting in the midst of a global pandemic
2020 Presidential Election: Voting in the midst of a global pandemic
Emma Valdiserri / Assistant News Editor
The United States 2020 Presidential election is only a little over two months away. Penciled in for Nov. 3, this election is bound to be different from any other election the nation has ever experienced, as a global pandemic leaves many U.S. citizens to vote by mail. With both the Democratic and Republican National conventions having ended last week, the two selected presidential nominees are Democrat Joe Biden, and Republican Donald Trump.
The nation’s current President, Donald Trump, has explicitly shared his concerns for the potential of voter fraud in mail-in voting, despite the fact that the U.S. does not have any widespread, documented, mail in voter fraud cases that have gone unpunished. As a result, he has said to oppose election aid for states and expressed his plans to restrict funding for the U.S. Postal Service. In line with the domino effect, these claims have struck concern in both Republicans and Democrats across the nation, worried their ballots won’t make it in time to count towards the election. To go a step further, the USPS has also expressed its worry about the reception and processing of ballots in time for Election Day. Another concern that arises is the discouragement of voting based on the multi-step process of mail-in voting.
Olivia Devia is an undergraduate senior from Reno, Nevada and member of the Changemaker Hub at USD.
“I feel like the conservative side is making it seem like mail-in voting is hard, they spew out information without fact checking and people are listening to it, but for this election, we’re seeing more mail-in voting than we ever have, so it’s something we need to be cautious of,” Devia said. “I never really thought this is something I would have to worry about during my first election.”
Devia is one of many students having returned to San Diego for USD’s online semester who are concerned about mail-in voting.
Despite concerns about this approach to voting, corporations like Levi’s and social media channels like Instagram and Facebook are making efforts in promoting voter registration and participation. Some of these websites even include the links to where their visitors can register, making it quicker and easier for people to register on their devices at the simple touch of their fingertips.
While voter registration is relatively simple, the process of mailing ballots (depending on the state) may prove to be more complicated. For USD students returning to sunny San Diego for their online semester, there are ways to be proactive in voting for the upcoming presidential election, whether in person or by mail.
Registered voters in California will receive vote-by-mail ballots no later than 29 days prior to Election Day and are not required to apply for one. From there, voters may return their filled-in ballot (including the authorization section) by mail, in person, or to a drop box. For mailing, the ballot has to be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the county elections office no later than 17 days after Election Day. For in-person or drop-box delivery, the ballots must be returned no later than 8 p.m. on Election Day. If people choose to vote in person, they can find their correct polling place address on California’s Secretary of State website. To be safe, they should bring a valid form of ID to avoid any complications.
Students voting in California, but who are originally from out of state, can register using their address from school or their home address. They can also have their ballots sent to their school addresses and then return them, via mail, to their respective home state’s election offices.
All registered voters also have the option to vote early. This may be the best option for voters who are concerned about the process and outcome of mail-in voting. In California, the early voting period begins Oct. 5, 2020, and lasts until Nov. 2, 2020.
Devia continued, “So much has already happened in 2020, and we haven’t even had the election yet.” The U.S. 2020 Presidential election is on the horizon, and like the rest of 2020, its results, along with the months leading up to it, are unpredictable. For all USD students and U.S. citizens who intend to vote, it’s best to be proactive and make sure their ballots are ready for the polls.
For more information on voter registration and participation, students can visit their home state’s Secretary of State website.