Democrats are once again pushing to extend mail-in voting rules, raising alarms among conservatives concerned about the integrity of elections. U.S. election officials claim that the mail system’s issues could lead to delays, risking voter disenfranchisement. However, similar claims were made ahead of the 2020 election, and no significant delays occurred.
Federal and state officials have previously used these claims to justify extending early voting and counting ballots received after Election Day. Many of these changes were later deemed unconstitutional by courts because they were made without legislative approval. These rulings emphasized that such decisions must be made by state legislatures.
A recent letter sent by the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) and the National Association of State Election Directors (NASED) to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy urged immediate action to address mail delays. The letter argued that recent problems in primary elections were not isolated but indicated deeper issues within the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).
Among those leading the push for mail-in voting extensions are some of the most partisan figures in U.S. elections, including Adrian Fontes (D-AZ), Jena Griswold (D-CO), and Brad Raffensperger (R-GA), a frequent target of President Donald Trump’s criticism. Mary Vigil, a former Democratic aide, now heads NASED.
Many conservatives worry that Democrats are using the mail system as a pretext to make unconstitutional changes to state election laws. The upcoming election could see a replay of the same tactics used in 2020, potentially undermining voter trust in the democratic process.
