This position holds that the controversies over early and postal voting reveal a US democratic system at breaking point. It argues that fears of uncounted votes and fraud erode confidence, that slow counts risk electoral limbo, and that long queues amount to a form of voter suppression.
Supporting arguments · 4
- Fears of voter fraud undermine confidence in the democratic processThere are concerns that fraudulent ballots may contaminate the election outcome, following reports that foreign nations can interfere, that voters may be able to vote twice and that some ballots may be stolen in the post. Whether true or not, these claims undermine trust in the democratic system.
- Early votes and votes-by-mail take longer to count, and could leave the US in electoral limboMail-in votes take longer to process and count, so the election may not have a final outcome for weeks after election day - both parties are rumoured to be preparing for post-election legal battles. This puts US democracy in a precarious position.
- Fears that some votes might not get counted undermine confidence in the democratic processAn increase in the number of mail-in votes will lead to many not being counted. Additional funding has not been provided to the US Postal Service, meaning many postal votes will not arrive in time to be counted. If significant numbers of votes are not counted, the outcome could be disputed.
- Long queues outside early voting stations should not happen and are a form of voter suppressionLong queues outside early voting stations are evidence of a failure of planning, which disproportionately affects groups that have had to battle for their right to vote. Staff shortages and sparse early voting centres mean that for many, early voting is much harder than it should be.