The 2020 election was expected to have one of the highest voter turnouts in history, with the future of our country at stake. Social issues such as racial injustice, inequality, and our rapidly changing climate have tarnished the Trump administration, giving voters an important decision to make. However, as Covid-19 rapidly spread throughout the country, many primary elections were poorly run and delayed, with almost 500,000 mail-in ballots not counted. Also, 20 states still require an excuse in order to receive a mail-in ballot, even though the pandemic is expected to discourage thousands of people from voting in person. In order to preserve American democracy and give everyone easy access to voting, states need to give every citizen a mail-in ballot. 

Voting by mail is essential during the pandemic. Polling stations often have long, crowded lines, making social distancing very difficult. In addition, there was a significant shortage of poll workers during the primary, making the process difficult and inefficient. Universal voting by mail, in comparison, would significantly lessen the dangers. According to The Washington Post, half of Americans hope to vote by mail during this election. If states gave everyone a ballot, this number would likely increase, lessening the stress on poll workers and keeping transmission rates low. 

Trump’s Republican party have shut down the idea of mail-in voting, spreading the false rumor to millions of Americans that it will cause mass fraud. However, mail-in voting has existed in our country for years. Colorado has voted by mail since 2013, and they have the second highest turnout in the country. There are security measures taken to prevent voter fraud that already exist. According to Brennan Center, 73% of voters in Colorado returned their ballots to a physical location such as a US Post Office. These drop boxes often have cameras making it easy to identify the voter, and the ballots are tracked in transit for even further security. Voter fraud is extremely difficult to commit, and hasn’t happened in states that already vote by mail. The right to vote is one of the most defining characteristics of America, and voting by mail is one of the only ways to protect this right during the Covid-19 pandemic.