Voting by Mail in November? States Need to Prepare Now

Widespread absentee balloting faces several potential choke points ahead of the fall presidential election

With the potential resurgence of the coronavirus in the fall of 2020, many are questioning how they will vote in November without jeopardizing their health. Some lawmakers are calling for universal voting by mail, while others are saying it’s not worth the risk. WSJ explains. Photo: Jason Redmond/AFP
By

Alexa Corse

and

Robert McMillan

Americans are expected to vote by mail in record numbers in November, but authorities are running out of time to secure the vast number of ballots and ballot-processing machines needed to ensure a smooth process, election and industry officials say.

Many Americans will likely want or need to avoid polling stations in the fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. A Department of Homeland Security-led working group said weeks ago that local governments should have started preparing in April if they want to ready their vote-by-mail...