Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Ensuring Online Voting Is Secure Could Take A Decade, But Some States Are Eager To Explore Options
Politico: Why America Isn’t Ready For Online Voting
Some West Virginians voting in Tuesday’s primary will be allowed to tap on their phones or laptops instead of heading to the polls. Some in Delaware will get to do the same next month. And the trend may spread into November, as the coronavirus pandemic inspires a search for voting methods that don’t expose people to the deadly disease. But moving elections to the internet poses huge risks that the United States is unprepared to handle — endangering voters’ privacy, the secrecy of the ballot and even the trustworthiness of the results. (Geller, 6/8)
The Washington Post: Analysis Of Mail-In Ballots Finds Just 0.0025% Rate Of Possible Voter Fraud In Five 2016, 2018 Elections
A Washington Post analysis of data collected by three vote-by-mail states with help from the nonprofit Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) found that officials identified just 372 possible cases of double voting or voting on behalf of deceased people out of about 14.6 million votes cast by mail in the 2016 and 2018 general elections, or 0.0025 percent. The figure reflects cases referred to law enforcement agencies in five elections held in Colorado, Oregon and Washington, where all voters proactively receive ballots in the mail for every election. (Viebeck, 6/8)
ABC News: Coronavirus Continues To Test Elections In Latest Round Of Primaries
In Georgia, the state's top election official mailed all active registered voters ballot applications -- one of the first Republicans to push for such a significant shift to vote-by-mail. In Nevada, another Republican secretary of state, along with the state's county election officials, moved to a nearly all-mail election for the first time. In North Dakota, no polling sites will be open. (Karson, 6/9)
The Hill: Here's Where Your State Stands On Mail-In Voting
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to grip the country, more states have embraced mail-in voting as a way to prevent large crowds from gathering at polling places. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended states to encourage voters to cast ballots through the mail and a number of governors and elections officials have begun taking steps to make doing so easier while litigation over the issue continues. (Moreno, 6/9)
Newsweek: These States Still Haven't Expanded Mail-In Voting Amid Coronavirus Pandemic
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the 2020 election, all but four states now offer expanded mail-in voting options. Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas are the only areas that have not taken any definitive action to amend their approach to absentee balloting amid the global health crisis, according to the grassroots anti-corruption group RepresentUs. Forty-six states and the District of Columbia now allow some form of mail-in voting to all registered residents as a way to maintain public health. (Hutzler, 6/8)
