Columbus, Ohio – The first major test of an almost completely mail-in election vote during the coronavirus pandemic was taking place Tuesday in Ohio, offering lessons to other states on how to conduct one of the basic processes of democracy in the midst of a crisis in Health.
The process has not been smooth, and state authorities have had to weigh electoral laws and the need to protect the health of citizens and workers at the polls. The in-person primaries in Ohio were postponed just hours before they were due to start last month, leading to lawsuits and confusion.
Today’s election that replaced it requires voters to process at least three documents by mail: one application, one blank ballot, and one filled.
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With Joe Biden almost certain to be a Democratic presidential candidate, there is little suspense. But the Ohio vote is being watched as a case study of how to proceed with elections if the pandemic does not subside. States have taken dramatically different approaches: Wisconsin has conducted in-person voting this month and New York said Monday it would cancel its presidential primary, scheduled for June.
Some governors have indicated that they would consider adopting a completely mail-in vote for the November general election, something President Donald Trump has strongly opposed. The National Conference of State Legislatures says that five states currently hold elections entirely by mail: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah.
