All 5.4 million registered voters in Los Angeles County will now receive a mail-in ballot in the midst of the uncertainty of whether the spread will be contained by the general election in November.
The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on Tuesday, April 28 to approve a proposal by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Sheila Kuehl to send a Vote-by-Mail ballot to all eligible LA County voters for all elections starting this upcoming election cycle.
“It is hard to imagine that, amid the coronavirus crisis, we have a major election coming up this November,” said Hahn, who authored the motion. “No one should have to choose between their health and their right to vote. We don’t know what challenges we will be facing in this pandemic this fall, but by sending every voter a mail-in-ballot we can ensure that everyone can cast their ballot safely, no matter what the future holds.”
The current “Safer At Home” public health order is set to expire May 15, but health officials have acknowledged that some form of social distancing will be needed for an extended period of time and that “Safer At Home” orders may be reenacted if deemed necessary to slow the spread of COVID-19.
These issues could present challenges for the general election, including possibly hampering the recruitment of election workers or making it difficult for in-person voting locations to meet capacity demands while ensuring social distancing.
“Nothing, including all the challenges related to COVID-19, should be allowed to prevent voters from casting their ballots in November,” said Kuehl, who co-authored the motion. “This motion takes necessary steps to ensure that all LA County voters could vote by mail in November.”
In addition, the Registrar-Recorder will take appropriate measures to align in-person voting options for the general election with guidance from the Department of Public Health to ensure the safety of both voters and election workers. (AJPress)
