Mail-in voting, USPS draw reactions

How sad. Here in 2020, the only strategy the 166-year-old Republican Party has is voter suppression [“Trump: Withholding funding to make voting harder,” News, Aug. 14]. Never mind articulating its ideals, its principles, its positions on key issues. All its efforts are to make it difficult for people to vote. They purge people from voting rolls, require new identification, reduce polling places, cut polling staff, and now they’re crippling the U.S. Postal Service to reduce mail-in voting. What has the party of Lincoln come to?

Dan Maddock,

Sea Cliff

Your editorial “Secure the November vote” urges states to “mail absentee ballots or applications to all voters … [Aug. 16].” During my time collecting signatures of registered Independents before the coronavirus outbreak, I found many voters no longer lived at the addresses at which they were registered. Some addresses had multiple voters who had moved. I am confident Democrats and Republicans find the same situation. Therefore, I believe it is devious for Democrats to insist on using a system they know is broken and rife with possibilities of voter fraud. It is outrageous that some media organizations feign ignorance to the real possibility of voter fraud while supporting Democrats’ endeavor to push for mail-in voting.

Doreen Turpin,

Patchogue

President Donald Trump is afraid of absentee ballots, of quarantined citizens such as me who may be unable to vote in person on Election Day [“Trump: Withholding funding to make voting harder,” News, Aug. 14]. He speaks of hitting back when he is hit, but how have I hurt him? Why should I receive my life-sustaining medication late? Why should I possibly receive my bills late, and therefore be charged late fees? This is not an honorable way to win an election. Instead it informs history that the president of the greatest country in the world is too scared to win or lose by playing fair. I am a patriotic American who is mortified by the cowardice of this action.

April Martinolich,

West Babylon

Since President Donald Trump is waging war against two of America’s most vital institutions, the presidential election and the U.S. Postal Service, Americans should rise up and counter him with wartime tactics [“Trump: Withholding funding to make voting harder,” News, Aug. 14]. Namely, the boards of elections throughout this country should facilitate early in-person pickup of “mail-in” ballots at all polling stations and, then, in person, return the completed ballots to those stations before Election Day. Each voter would provide identification and, of course, sign the usual official form. I believe the expense of manning polling stations for two extra days would be worth it to preserve our democracy. And though it would involve two trips to the stations, it would minimize overall time spent there, prevent long lines and keep Americans safe from the coronavirus, with the wearing of face coverings and social distancing. For the homebound, FedEx and the United Parcel Service also could be asked by governors or local authorities to provide pickup and delivery at minimal cost as a patriotic duty. And for those who choose to go to the polls on Election Day, lines would be shorter and the Postal Service’s burden would be lessened.

Frances Arnetta,

Selden

Instead of voters worrying whether their ballots will be received in time, why not put a secure ballot box outside every polling place in each county, so voters can drop off their ballots without entering the polling place and interacting with anyone inside. It would be less stress on the Postal Service and a guarantee that each vote will count.

Judy Jeney,

Kings Park

Members of both parties are united in desiring a secure vote in November [“Secure the November vote,” Editorial, Aug. 16]. I suggest we consider Occam’s razor: the theory that simplicity works better. There is no need for absentee ballots if they are mailed to all eligible voters. Ballots should be mailed in September, accommodating those who prefer to vote early. Stipulate that ballots be postmarked by Oct. 31. This will spread out the flow for the post office to handle. I believe counting votes would be achieved easily by Nov 3.

Aurora Forte,

Smithtown

Maybe I’m missing something, but why aren’t states and/or local election boards looking into the use of drive-up, sealed ballot-collection boxes for mail-in ballots at designated polling locations, similar to regular mailboxes (or utilize the mailboxes recently removed by the Postal Service in several states). This would help in several ways: 1) Take pressure off the post office; 2) allow seniors and others afraid of exposure to COVID-19 to have a safe and secure method of voting; and 3) allow more votes to be counted by the deadline. It also would allow parents with young children at home to take a quick ride to their polling places, kids in tow, to cast their votes.

Jerry Cohen,

Plainview

Americans who value democracy need to respond to President Donald Trump’s blatant attempt to interfere with the electoral process by not funding the Postal Service [“Trump: Withholding funding to make mail voting harder,” News, Aug. 14]. The appropriate answer lies in copying states such as Colorado, Oregon and Washington, which have universal mail-in voting via ballot dropboxes, as well as states such as Connecticut, Michigan and Pennsylvania, which are starting the process. These dropboxes accept ballots until 8 p.m. on Election Day, are sealed overnight and weigh 600 pounds to prevent theft. Additional security measures such as public security officers to guard the boxes could be added to further ensure voting integrity.

Clifford D. Glass,

East Rockaway

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Michael Bloomberg, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett got together and donated money to the Postal Service for the purpose of voting by mail [“Undermining the Postal Service,” Editorial, Aug. 14]? I believe they would go down in history as great Americans for allowing citizens to perform their constitutional duty, and the country would be forever grateful.

Don Schuellein,

Franklin Square

It seems incredible that we can wait in line in a grocery store for 30 minutes, get a haircut, go to the library and much more, but we can’t go to a spacious school gym and cast a vote [“Secure the November vote,” Editorial, Aug. 16].

Dunstan Bradley,

Lindenhurst

One aspect in defense of mail-in voting not discussed is having a ballot in the privacy of your home giving a voter the ability and time to research positions of candidates that, if you are like me, you are not really familiar with. Although most voters keep up with the presidential candidates’ policies, lesser known candidates’ positions are not as well known. As someone who does not want to just vote the party line, I believe mail-in voting will allow for more thoughtful voting.

Louis Nigro,

Greenport

We are agonizing over a problem that seems to have a simple solution [“Undermining the Postal Service,” Editorial, Aug. 14]. Democrats, Republicans and the Postal Service are in discussions over funding to handle the anticipated volume increases due to mail-in voting. President Donald Trump is perceived as withholding funding to sabotage the USPS. Here’s a simple solution: For the rest of this year, ban the mailing of all promotional advertising and other “junk mail.” We all get a break from mail that clogs our mailboxes, which many throw out anyway, and the USPS could have all the capacity needed to handle ballots in a timely manner.

Hans G. Wenze,

South Farmingdale