The Novel Coronavirus disrupted the lives (and the livelihoods) of millions of households this Spring. Yet the lack of a vaccine at this time raises some important issues with respect to upcoming primaries and the 2020 national election cycle. In many places, officials have urged voters to consider using mailed-in absentee ballots.
Will counties and state election offices across the United States soon need to consider increasing their use of mail processing equipment in order handle higher volumes of election-related mail? What, if any, impacts would this change exert upon mail equipment sales? Easy answers to these questions appear elusive.
Social Distancing Affects Elections
Currently, only five U.S. states routinely transact all elections by mail:
- Colorado
- Hawaii
- Utah
- Oregon
- Washington
Yet this year, the COVID-19 pandemic caused some states to postpone primaries. Others urged voters to rely more extensively upon mailed-in absentee ballots.
States which conducted primaries this spring sometimes reported delays due to challenges involved in maintaining social distancing at polling precincts. Reports arose of sporadic shortages of poll workers (some of whom expressed concern about the risks of contracting the virus). Concern also arose that some voters might remain at home rather than risk standing in crowded lines for extended periods of time.
Absentee Ballots: A Controversial Alternative
Currently, 19 states impose some restrictions upon absentee voting. Yet mailed-in absentee ballots might offer an alternative for many voters this November. However, this option also inspires debate.
The Brennan Center recently released a study suggesting states will need to infuse an additional $1.4 billion into the national voting infrastructure to accommodate universal absentee voting on demand as an option for voters. Massive increases in the volume of mailed ballots would require additional printing, tracking, mail handling, and storage capabilities, for instance. Some counties would likely also require enhancements in mailroom equipment to perform timely processing.
Roughly 25% of the ballots cast during the 2016 national election arrived by mail. It seems possible absentee voting numbers will increase significantly yet again during 2020.
Upgrading Government Mailrooms
In the future, resources available to assist county and state governments in processing absentee ballots may prove important. Election officials already face tough decisions preparing to serve voters during the pandemic. Upgrading mailroom equipment under these circumstances involves considerable challenges.
