About mail-in ballots and the USPS warning

[grumpyduck]

Okay, I understand the USPS is warning people about possible delays, and the MSM is eating it up like crazy.

But hasn't it occurred to any of these people that voters can just fill out their ballots at home and then drop them off at a local polling place or designated collection point? I've done that a few times and had no problems that I know of.

[Hoyt]

1. People are making way too much of this. As you say, use

Last edited Fri Aug 14, 2020, 04:23 PM - Edit history (1)

drop boxes. Mail earlier, otherwise. I have faith postal workers will get the ballots there.

[hlthe2b]

9. You are missing the point. USPS is lighting a fire under local voting officials to get the ballots

out at least a month ahead of time. All the mail ballot only states do so, but those states that are not accustomed to increased volumes of absentee/mail ballots need to get them into the voter's "hands"/mailboxes with plenty of time to spare.

[Squinch]

25. The other point is that this is an intentional sabotage of an essential US Governmental function.

By the President.

That is pretty huge.

[hlthe2b]

28. Exactly. How anyone on DU can say "People are making a way to much of this." is disturbing

to say the least.

[Mike 03]

29. Thank god for you and Squinch

"making way too much of this" ?

[Nevilledog]

37. Yeah.... People not getting their medications are just whiners.

[SheltieLover]

2. Drop off not allowed in TN!

Please check your state's laws!

[grumpyduck]

5. Okay, this might be a good time

to write lawmakers and request that this be changed due to the virus.

Depending on how blue or red they are, some might go for it.

[SheltieLover]

6. Great idea

But I'm in red TN.

Not likely to change anything here. 🤬

[Kaleva]

33. does Biden have a chance in TN?

[SheltieLover]

35. Highly doubt it

Very red

[herding cats]

39. Any down ticket races this might impact?

I don't know the political climate there.

[SheltieLover]

44. US senate seated by Alexander

Wonderful Dem lady, but I doubt she has much of a chance without a huge voter reg drive. Repukes voted Blackburn in last time.

[jojog]

50. Would love to beat Scott Desjarlais in 4th Dist

He is the one who cheated on his wife and tried to get the girlfriend to get abortion.

It is hard to believe that this was Al Gore's seat.

[herding cats]

51. These lower down tickets are what I'm thinking of mostly here.

Also, smaller state and local seats.

I'm suspicious these are a lot of what this is about. Call me cynical, I've become such and deserve it, but it's not just about the top of the ticket. It never was, and never will be.

Parties are changed by local races. That's how it's done.

[2naSalit]

3. Not so simple in many places...

Like rural Montana and other rural states. Could be a dangerous many miles long drive to drop it in a box rather than a mailbox at the end of the driveway, which could also be a mile or more long. November weather is a serious thing in these parts.

[MoonRiver]

13. Worse than driving to vote in person?

[2naSalit]

31. Well that's the point of voting by mail...

though going to town to vote is the same as going to own to the PO. But I get your point. It is more difficult on the Indian lands, though. We have several reservations in our state.

[Hoyt]

15. I suspect driving to polls is just as dangerous and lengthy. So everyone just has to do what they

think will get their votes in on time.

If a bunch of GOPers' mail gets tangled up and is late, gosh.

[2naSalit]

32. +1

[Kaleva]

34. My guess is that most of those states a red to the core.

[2naSalit]

38. We're not.

Just watch.

[Kaleva]

41. What state is that?

[2naSalit]

42. ...

Montana.

[Kaleva]

46. I think it's a long shot for Biden but we can hope!

[2naSalit]

49. People are getting bitten hard

around here and there's nothing helping the business owners and the unemployment thing is big. Tourism is what makes the world go around in this area so it's a double edged sword. We do have Bullock looking good for the Senate and I think the House seat will flip. We could get a second seat if the census is done right.

[spooky3]

4. People in many retirement communities are not allowed to leave due to COVID restrictions.

Who knows how long this will last?

And it isn't as easy for many people (not just retirees) to go to the designated collection point as you might think. In my county, there is only one dropbox. I have a car and can get there but many people do not.

There is also the principle that PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE THEIR OPTIONS RESTRICTED.

[Kaleva]

36. The elderly is Trump's best age demographic.

[tblue37]

45. Not as much now as before. nt

[Kaleva]

47. But a lower turnout by the elderly will hurt Trump more then Biden.

[spooky3]

52. Probably, but no one should be disenfranchised. Nt

[intrepidity]

7. As usual, the devil is in the details

Replies upthread illustrate this

[stillcool]

8. It's too early to call..

but the twisted logic that pervades our new normal, has to make you question what is really going on. The well-orchestrated hoopla could be a bait and switch, to encourage people to vote in person. Why would they want to do that?

[hlthe2b]

10. Yes in states with drop-boxes or that legally allow. But that is not the only or even major issue

You are missing the point. USPS is lighting a fire under local voting officials to get the ballots out at least a month ahead of time. All the mail ballot only states do so, but those states that are not accustomed to increased volumes of absentee/mail ballots need to get them into the voter's "hands"/mailboxes with plenty of time to spare.

[brooklynite]

11. "voters can just fill out their ballots at home and then drop them off "

No, SOME voters can. Not everyone lives in the City or Suburbs where the Election office or a collection box are convenient.

[hlthe2b]

12. Folks on this thread downplaying the issue need to inform themselves. It is not an overstatement

of the issue or media hype. You hurt all of us by disseminating the position that this is NOT a serious problem.

[Hoyt]

16. No, making people think their vote won't count might keep some people from voting. We have plenty

of options. What affects Democrats, will also impact GOPers. Just request your ballot as early as possible, return it quickly, use a drop box if you can, vote early in-person, try to avoid waiting until last day when weather, illness, complacency, etc., might hinder one from voting.

The postal workers are usually for Democrats. They'll get the ballots in, if we do our part.

[hlthe2b]

21. ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT. THE Issue at hand is to 1.get people to request a ballot if they are to vote

absentee EARLY; 2).Return it, either with 2 First Class Stamps as early as you receive it OR Hand deliver Early to an approved site or drop-off box; or 3). Determine where you can vote in-person (early if possible) and make a plan.

Downplaying the issue is burying your head in the sand. We MUST inform all we come in contact with and volunteer with groups doing so as well as helping with the effort.

EMPOWERING others with knowledge and creating a plan ahead of time is how you motivate--not denying what is occurring. That is how you get people to vote. Know your state's laws, requirements, and options and plan ahead of time. I have already reached out, having informed myself that Colorado allows a person to authorize another to deliver their ballot to the official office and that person can deliver the ballots of up to ten people. I have already agreed to do so when I receive my own ballot for 8 elderly neighbors in my community who I have shopped for from time to time throughout COVID-19.


THAT is how you get people to vote and have their vote counted. NOT DENIAL!!!!!!!

[Hoyt]

24. That's pretty much what I said, absent the woe-is-me.

[hlthe2b]

26. Hardly. You stated and I quote "People are making a way to much of this. "

[Sherman A1]

14. As mentioned in this thread there are many

exceptions to the rule. There is one thing all of us voting by mail can do and that is to turn the ballot around on the day we receive it and get it into the system, be that the USPS, drop off or what have you. Getting it into your house and letting it sit a few days or weeks is simply not a good idea.

[Hoyt]

17. Exactly.

[HotTeaBag]

20. +1, or perhaps 2.

.

[LisaL]

18. Your ballot has to be delivered to you first.

[Awsi Dooger]

19. Outliers mean nothing

The ballots will be mailed. Therefore USPS will be involved. This is a severe problem. Thread after thread has attempted to explain alternatives. That's wonderful but the impact is close to zero. No mathematical awareness.

Anyone who uses a drop box or hands in the ballot is such an outlier that the impact on the scope is basically meaningless. That's the reason we have David Plouffe and others recognizing the need to take extraordinary steps and spread the awareness.

[LisaL]

22. ITA. Most of the alternatives still involved USPS delivering the ballot to you.

In OH, the plan is for election boards to start sending the ballots to people less than a month before the election. Obviously ballot has to get to you before the election, for you to be able to actually use it. Only one drop box per county makes it inconvenient for many people to drop off the ballot at the box. UPS or Fedex delivery of ballot is not allowed.

[hlthe2b]

23. Yes. But we can do our own part to diminish the impacts.

See my threads upstream.

[GoneOffShore]

27. We're probably going to be using the Federal Write In Absentee Ballot as we live abroad.

https://www.fvap.gov/fwab-privacy-notice

Vote as a backup using
the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)

You can vote with the backup ballot if you won’t receive your regular ballot in time to send it back before the election.

And here's a link to Democrats Abroad - https://www.democratsabroad.org/2020_ballot_faq?

I'm not too sure why anyone in the US couldn't make use of a FWAB, though there are probably some restrictions.

[jojog]

30. Not legal in Tennessee

No drop boxes. Polling places or registrar not allowed to accept.

[Kaleva]

40. Does Biden have a chance there?

[LisaL]

43. Snowball's chance in hell?

But that's not the point, people should still be able to vote.

[Kaleva]

48. True, even if they select Trump on their mail-in ballot.