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Dear Editor:
Governor Holcomb postponing the election may turn out not to be the answer if the virus continues to hang around and not leave by June 2, as some medical professional have already stated. But this shows a total lack of planning and concern by many of our elected officials on how to run an election.
Weeks ago, I already asked the County Election office to move to 100 percent vote by mail. Instead, I got answers that it was impossible to do. They couldn’t get supplies. It would take weeks to count the ballots.
I doubt very much that commercial printers could not print ballots overnight and the Post Office could get ballots delivered to every voter.
Marion County, which has a much larger voting base, has said they are going to do vote by mail. They seem to count ballots very fast.
I also remember paper ballots and it is a lot harder to electronically hack a paper ballot.
Currently five states conduct all elections entirely by mail: Colorado, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington and Utah – with other states allowing counties to conduct vote by mail. All in all, 22 states have some form of vote by mail.
It is time Hamilton County and the entire state move to a vote by mail system. This pandemic has shown that many of our norms are no longer normal.
Also, the vote by mail system has shown it can provide a cost savings. In Colorado, it was found that 46 of the 64 counties election costs decreased an average of 40 percent. It also showed that voter turnout grew.
As a county party chair, one of the hardest jobs I have is finding poll workers. Many are retired and I am now seeing many saying they will not work the polls. What if we can’t have enough poll workers by on June 2 or any other Election Day?
What would happen if every voter in the county requested an absentee ballot, would the county election office collapse from the requests, or meet the demand? I think they would find a way to hold the election.
If you are a registered voter in Hamilton County and over 65 you can request an absentee ballot.
Today, March 25, the Indiana Election Commission is meeting and it is believed they will vote to extend absentee to all.
If you want a ballot you can get the application online at the Hamilton County Election website or by calling the election office at (317) 776-8476.
Joe Weingarten
Chair, Hamilton County Democratic Party