Lawmakers in New York are calling for drop boxes for voters to leave absentee ballots, as skepticism grows in the U.S. Postal Service’s ability to keep up with increased demand.
Legislation by Sens. Brad Hoylman, Rachel May and Assemblyman Richard Gottfried would allow for the placement of drop boxes around the state.
Other states, 33 of them in fact, have made this same move ahead of a general election that could see millions casting absentee ballots in New York.
“We owe it to all New Yorkers to make sure that their vote gets counted this November,” May told Spectrum News.
“The continued threat of COVID-19 means that a record number of absentee ballots are expected this fall and yet we see the federal government actively dismantling the service on which these ballots rely: the United States Postal Service. One way we can promote safe, fast, and efficient voting, without worrying about postal issues, is to allow folks to drop their ballots off in secure drop boxes around their communities.”
The drop boxes would serve as an extra place for voters in New York to get their ballots in case the mail cannot keep up.
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