Ballot Boxes Become Divisive Issue Ahead of US Elections
2020-08-23
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1There is a new divisive issue in the U.S. presidential election: the ballot drop box.
2The issue has taken on new urgency following cost-cutting measures at the U.S. Postal Service.
3The measures have slowed mail delivery nationwide.
4U.S. election officials are preparing for a major expansion of mail-in voting.
5Experts say up to half of voters in the November 3 election may choose to not vote in person.
6Democrats across the country are promoting drop boxes as an easy and reliable choice for voters who do not want to entrust their ballots to the U.S. Postal Service.
7In Connecticut, Secretary of State Denise Merrill is recommending that voters turn in their ballots by drop box rather than through the mail.
8She made the recommendation after receiving reports that some ballots mailed a week before her state's August 11 nominating contests arrived too late to be counted.
9Three-quarters of ballots in that August primary were cast absentee, she said.
10Merrill, a Democrat, said the state's 200 new drop boxes had proven a safe and popular choice.
11"I do not understand why people think they're such a problem," Merrill said.
12"They're more secure than mailboxes."
13Republicans in Pennsylvania do not share that opinion.
14Bruce Marks is a former Republican state senator from Pennsylvania.
15He said drop boxes do not offer trust that the person turning in a ballot is the person who cast that vote.
16"There's no one watching or tracking," he said.
17Pennsylvania's Democratic Governor Tom Wolf has defended the state's use of drop boxes.
18He argues they are legal and necessary, especially during the coronavirus crisis.
19President Donald Trump, a Republican, won the state of Pennsylvania by less than 1 percentage point in 2016.
20Public opinion studies show that he is running behind Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the presidential race.
21Trump's re-election campaign has taken legal action to prevent the use of ballot drop boxes in Pennsylvania.
22The campaign says the boxes could lead to voting fraud. Republican officials in other states have already prevented the use of drop boxes.
23In neighboring Ohio, Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose said last week that he did not want to risk similar legal action from the Trump administration.
24He announced he would permit one drop box for each of the state's 88 counties.
25He said the Republican-controlled legislature had not given him the power to provide more.
26Democrats are urging LaRose to change his decision.
27They note that the decision leaves the 864,000 registered voters in Cleveland's Cuyahoga County with the same number of drop boxes as the 8,400 registered voters in Vinton County.
28Cuyahoga County voters are majority Democrat. Vinton is a majority Republican county.
29In hotly contested Florida, Democrats in Miami-Dade County are seeking to make it easier for voters to use drop boxes.
30Unlike other counties in the state, Miami-Dade voters must provide election officials with identification when putting a ballot in a drop box.
31Election workers also record a number printed on the voter's envelope.
32The process can take up to three minutes, the Democratic Party said in a letter to local election officials.
33The party is seeking to permit voters to drop their ballots quickly without the processing requirements.
34Security measures required for ballot drop boxes differ from state to state.
35In Montana, at least two election officials must be present at the boxes.
36In New Mexico, the boxes are watched by video.
37Some say the drop box battle is unnecessary.
38Before 2020, eight states - Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington - had laws explaining how and where drop boxes could be used.
39Returning ballots this way proved popular.
40In Colorado, Oregon and Washington, more than half of mail ballots were returned either to a drop box or to an election office in the 2016 presidential election.
41Those numbers come from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study.
42Drop boxes have not caused debate in those states, said Murphy Bannerman of Election Protection Arizona, a voting-rights group.
43"Both parties use it at a really high rate," Bannerman said.
44"So a lot of those tensions don't exist here."
45I'm Ashley Thompson.
1There is a new divisive issue in the U.S. presidential election: the ballot drop box. 2The issue has taken on new urgency following cost-cutting measures at the U.S. Postal Service. The measures have slowed mail delivery nationwide. 3U.S. election officials are preparing for a major expansion of mail-in voting. Experts say up to half of voters in the November 3 election may choose to not vote in person. 4Democrats want drop boxes, Republicans do not 5Democrats across the country are promoting drop boxes as an easy and reliable choice for voters who do not want to entrust their ballots to the U.S. Postal Service. 6In Connecticut, Secretary of State Denise Merrill is recommending that voters turn in their ballots by drop box rather than through the mail. She made the recommendation after receiving reports that some ballots mailed a week before her state's August 11 nominating contests arrived too late to be counted. 7Three-quarters of ballots in that August primary were cast absentee, she said. Merrill, a Democrat, said the state's 200 new drop boxes had proven a safe and popular choice. 8"I do not understand why people think they're such a problem," Merrill said. "They're more secure than mailboxes." 9Republicans in Pennsylvania do not share that opinion. 10Bruce Marks is a former Republican state senator from Pennsylvania. He said drop boxes do not offer trust that the person turning in a ballot is the person who cast that vote. 11"There's no one watching or tracking," he said. 12Pennsylvania's Democratic Governor Tom Wolf has defended the state's use of drop boxes. He argues they are legal and necessary, especially during the coronavirus crisis. 13President Donald Trump, a Republican, won the state of Pennsylvania by less than 1 percentage point in 2016. Public opinion studies show that he is running behind Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the presidential race. 14Trump's re-election campaign has taken legal action to prevent the use of ballot drop boxes in Pennsylvania. The campaign says the boxes could lead to voting fraud. Republican officials in other states have already prevented the use of drop boxes. 15In neighboring Ohio, Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose said last week that he did not want to risk similar legal action from the Trump administration. He announced he would permit one drop box for each of the state's 88 counties. He said the Republican-controlled legislature had not given him the power to provide more. 16Democrats are urging LaRose to change his decision. They note that the decision leaves the 864,000 registered voters in Cleveland's Cuyahoga County with the same number of drop boxes as the 8,400 registered voters in Vinton County. Cuyahoga County voters are majority Democrat. Vinton is a majority Republican county. 17In hotly contested Florida, Democrats in Miami-Dade County are seeking to make it easier for voters to use drop boxes. 18Unlike other counties in the state, Miami-Dade voters must provide election officials with identification when putting a ballot in a drop box. Election workers also record a number printed on the voter's envelope. 19The process can take up to three minutes, the Democratic Party said in a letter to local election officials. The party is seeking to permit voters to drop their ballots quickly without the processing requirements. 20Security measures required for ballot drop boxes differ from state to state. In Montana, at least two election officials must be present at the boxes. In New Mexico, the boxes are watched by video. 21Some say the drop box battle is unnecessary. 22Before 2020, eight states - Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington - had laws explaining how and where drop boxes could be used. 23Returning ballots this way proved popular. In Colorado, Oregon and Washington, more than half of mail ballots were returned either to a drop box or to an election office in the 2016 presidential election. Those numbers come from a Massachusetts Institute of Technology study. 24Drop boxes have not caused debate in those states, said Murphy Bannerman of Election Protection Arizona, a voting-rights group. 25"Both parties use it at a really high rate," Bannerman said. "So a lot of those tensions don't exist here." 26I'm Ashley Thompson. 27The Reuters news agency reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. 28_____________________________________________________________ 29Words in This Story 30promote - v. to help (something) happen, develop, or increase 31reliable - adj. able to be trusted to do or provide what is needed 32track - v. to follow or watch the path of (something) 33fraud - n. the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person 34cast - v. to make (a vote) formally 35print - v. to cause (words, images, etc.) to appear on paper or cloth by using a machine (called a printer) 36envelope - n. an enclosing cover for a letter, card, etc.