As if 2020 wasn’t already an eventful and unprecedented year, the nation is also gearing up for an extremely important presidential election. November 3rd, 2020 is the 59th quadrennial American presidential election between incumbent Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden. Voting has always mattered, but this year due to COVID-19, your ability to safely exercise your civic duty matters more than ever before. Although election day will look slightly different this year in many states, voting and voting safely has been, and continues to be, a form of positive peace!

A Run-down of Voting in the U.S.

In the United States, citizens are eligible to register to vote if they will be 18 years old on or before election day. Based on a University of Virginia projection focusing on age and citizenship status, 70% of the U.S. population will be eligible to vote on November 3rd, 2020. However, not all 70% are registered to vote and it is not guaranteed that those that are registered will cast their vote this year. Additionally, it is important to note that some states have further restrictions on who can vote, such as those with felony convictions or those who are deemed mentally incapacitated. 

In the 2016 presidential election, Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton by 77 electoral college votes, despite Secretary Clinton winning the popular vote by close to 3 million votes. It was one of only 5 elections in U.S. history where the candidate who won the popular vote was defeated. Trump’s victory came as a shock as many national polls were showing Clinton ahead as the election neared. Many people attribute her loss to a decline in voter turnout. 

According to Figure 1 below from the U.S. Census Bureau, overall voter turnout for the 2016 presidential election was the lowest it had been since 2004, with only about 61.4% of the eligible voters voting. 

Furthermore, Figure 2 shows that Hispanic and other non-Black, White, or Hispanic voters consistently have the lowest turnout at 47.6% and 49.3% respectively. Meanwhile, Black voter rates decreased by 7% between the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections. Therefore, White voters had the highest turnout rate, at 65.3% in the 2016 election.

Finally, Figure 4 shows that the youngest voting eligible population, 18-29 year olds, consistently has the lowest turnout rates of all age groups, with a rate of 46.1% compared to the next highest age groups’ turnouts at 58.7%, 66.6%, and 70.9% respectively.

This election cycle, many groups have focused on registering eligible voters and increasing voter turnout. In fact, some celebrities, athletes, and other big names such as Michelle Obama, Tom Hanks, Faith Hill, and Lin-Manuel Miranda have used their platforms to promote organizations like When We All Vote, which they co-chair along with Chris Paul, Janelle Monae and Tim McGraw. 

With every election, more than just the presidency is on the line. Here are a few examples of what is on the line with this year’s presidential election:

• In the past four years, we have witnessed President Trump appoint the highest number of judges to the Supreme Court, court of appeals, and district courts since President Jimmy Carter’s term from 1977-1981. The next president will likely be appointing replacements for older members of the Court such as Ruth Bader Ginsberg. 

• We have endured two heads of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the past four years who have outwardly pronounced that climate change is not their top priority. Therefore, this election will drastically impact the steps the US takes to combat climate change over the coming years. 

• Finally, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its lasting economic and health care effects are at stake. This election will impact our nation’s ability to rebound, rebuild, and recover. 

Voting by Absentee or Mail-In Ballots = Positive Peace

Historically, most voters vote in-person at their locally assigned polling locations, while less than 25% of the electorate vote via mail-in or absentee ballots as shown below. 

However, the 2020 presidential election will undoubtedly see an increase in mail-in ballot use. In fact, an increased number of states are permitting or expanding vote by mail practices this year and are quickly attempting to organize the necessary infrastructure to successfully account for the increase in mail-in ballots. According to The Washington Post, 76% of American voters are eligible for mail-in voting as of August 7th through state-wide or county-wide expansions of vote by mail.

By opting for a mail-in ballot, whether for accessibility or COVID-19 safety precautions, you are not only fulfilling your most important civic duty, but also prioritizing your health and the health of those around you. This is one way to answer the Peace Innovation Institute’s research question, how good can we be to each other? 

Vying for Votes

As the presidential election approaches and many expect to be voting by mail-in, there are various concerns and false information circulating about this voting method. An NPR article discussing the rejected mail-in and absentee ballots from this year’s primaries states that at least 65,000 of these ballots were rejected for being incorrectly completed or received late, even if it wasn’t the voters fault. Furthermore, there are concerns that young adults and people who have never voted by mail-in before will have their ballots rejected due to ballot errors. Therefore, it is imperative that you take precautions to abide by all the instructions, while filling out your ballot and adhere to the deadlines. 

In addition to the existing logistical concerns about mail-in voting, this voting method has also become a bipartisan issue with support largely from Democrats and skepticism from Republicans. In fact, President Donald Trump has called voting by mail corrupt and encourages Republicans to oppose this voting method for fear of Democrats largely benefitting from it. However, FiveThirtyEight debunks the false theory touted by the President and explains that voting by mail does not benefit one party over another. Rather, this method of voting increases voter participation and turn-out; thus, increasing positive peace! Therefore, mail-in voting should not be used to further polarize American voters.

Going Beyond Voting

If you are a young adult or someone who is in a lower risk group for COVID-19, you can also be good to your fellow voters by volunteering to be a poll worker. According to the Pew Research Center, in the 2018 general election, 58% of poll workers were ages 61 or older and in the 2016 general election that same age demographic accounted for 56% of poll workers. This is also the same age demographic that has experienced higher rates of death due to COVID-19. It is critical that polling places are staffed, so that states do not have to cut down on the quantity of polling places, which created incredibly long wait times in the primary election in Wisconsin. According to Power the Polls, 250,000 poll workers are still needed with few days left to recruit and train them. To volunteer as a poll worker, click here. 

The United States Postal Service has been facing financial difficulties for years. To make matters worse, The New York Times reported that the mail system has experienced more financial cuts as President Trump’s appointed postmaster general has stopped paying overtime and is cutting down hours which have resulted in delays. Additionally, Congress has not been able to agree on a bail-out of the USPS to assist with their financial issues. Due to delayed delivery times of the United States Postal Service, it is recommended that you submit your ballot early to ensure that it reaches your county’s election office by the deadline. You can submit your ballot by mail or some states are erecting ballot drop boxes for easy submission. 

One way you can support the USPS during this time is to purchase items from their store. Additionally, you can contact your state’s representatives and encourage them to support a bail-out of the USPS. You can find your representatives’ contact information here. For more on your state’s voting registration information, important deadlines, and volunteer opportunities, click here!

Conclusion 

If you have been waiting for a sign that your vote matters, this is it. With the turmoil and uncertainty that has been saturating 2020, one thing you can be certain about is proactively getting educated about this year’s presidential election and ensuring your vote is cast on time. Voting by mail-in or absentee ballots is the safest way to vote this year, and by doing so you are not only taking better care of vulnerable voters, but also caring for those who currently do not have a voice in our democracy. Your voice matters. Your vote matters. Let’s make it happen!

Register to vote here. To request an absentee or mail-in ballot, click here. Get informed about your voting rights here. For more voting information and tools, click here. 

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Written by: Elisa Selamaj and Abigail Gard