The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on all our lives is clear.
Even as some states begin to recover or even reopen, many of us are still worried for the health and wellbeing of our families, friends and colleagues.
But I’m also worried about the impact this crisis will have on our elections. After seeing how it impacted elections already this year in places like Wisconsin and Georgia, I’m scared that this pandemic will jeopardize Americans’ ability to vote in-person in the 2020 election.
While some states are taking steps to help people vote safely, the Trump administration is going to great lengths to make mail-in voting seem like a voter fraud scheme, even though President Trump himself votes by mail. It’s clear that Congress needs to intervene and focus on what’s right for the American people in every state: expanding vote-by-mail and other voting options.
To keep voters safe, we need our representatives in the House and Senate to provide states with emergency funding to ensure that every eligible American can safely cast their ballot through the mail, that they can register to vote online, and that any in-person polling places are safe for voters and poll workers.
For this election, we must protect every eligible voter’s right to have a say in the election. The leaders we elect in 2020 can take actions that improve the health and well-being of all Americans, or put us at further risk.
I’m demanding that our representatives in Congress come together and provide economic relief for Americans and also ensure states have the resources they need to safeguard the 2020 election.
Nothing less than our democracy is at stake.
Editor's note: Sandra Warvi is a resident of Peoria.
