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Under our laws and Constitution, the president cannot delay the election. Last week, the president tweeted an explicit suggestion to push back Election Day. The date of the general election is set by federal law, fixed since 1845. It would take a change in federal law — an act of Congress — to move that date.
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States must expand vote by mail and other options for voters. The president's attacks on legitimate voting methods are designed to sow confusion and cast the election results into doubt. Let's be clear: Vote-by-mail is one of the safest and most secure forms of voting available. Congress must provide $3.6 billion in election funding to ensure that all voters can safely cast a ballot in whatever way works best for them. And state and local leaders must make voting accessible amid the pandemic, including by expanding online voter registration and early voting, offering prepaid postage on mail ballot materials, and providing safe and sanitized in-person polling places.
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The United States Postal Service is under attack — therefore, so is the November election. The USPS is experiencing days-long backlogs of mail after a top donor to the president started running the agency weeks ago and put in place new procedures he described as "cost cutting." Postal workers and leaders around the country are expressing grave alarm about the impact on an election where unprecedented numbers of people will be awaiting and sending absentee ballots by mail. Many states require that ballots are received by Election Day to count. Instead, states should require that ballots are postmarked by Election Day to provide a cushion to voters whose ballots could be delayed given the circumstances.
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Here's what you can do right now: Urge your member of Congress to support $3.6 billion in election funding. There is no time to spare. Our democracy is on the line!
Vanita didn't sugarcoat it and neither will I: These are unchartered, even frightening waters. But our nation will get through this. And that's because of the fierce commitment of activists like you to the belief that every vote should count in our democracy. As we continue to build our future together, we remember: Our voices have power. Our movement is strong. And our fight to dismantle barriers to the ballot is more important than ever.
When we cast our votes in November, we will be heard.
Stay strong!
Allyn
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