With early voting and mail voting underway for the 2022 general election, millions of voters will have a different experience than in 2018. For many, where they live will largely determine whether voting has become more accessible or more burdensome. This month’s Hot Policy Take takes a look at changes to early and mail voting access across the country.   

We’ll also give some updates on the important work of Disability Rights Wisconsin, who has been leading the charge in a legal fight to protect the right of voters with disabilities to receive assistance with casting their ballots. The group is currently working to codify this right into law in the Badger State. 

Let’s dive right in.

HOT POLICY TAKE

In the aftermath of the 2020 election – and in conjunction with the rise of the Big Lie and other false claims about the security of mail voting – state lawmakers across the country began proposing changes to the laws governing early and mail voting. Our team at Voting Rights Lab has been documenting a stark divide between the states taking steps to make voting more accessible by increasing access to these voting methods, and the states making it more difficult.   

Early voting has emerged as a bright spot, with states nearly universally working to expand access. Mail voting, on the other hand, showcases the growing divide between states on voting access. Depending on their zip code, voters will have very different experiences in 2022 when it comes to mail voting.

BY THE NUMBERS

17 States

Secure drop boxes provide a safe and convenient way for voters to return mail ballots. In the two years since the 2020 election, states have increasingly diverged when it comes to the issue of mail voting, with some states expanding the availability of this popular option and other states restricting access. Drop boxes are a mail voting issue reflective of this growing fault line. 

WHAT WE'RE READING

It’s official. Across the country, more than a month away from Election Day itself, voting has begun. Absentee ballots are in the mail in 23 states, and some may have already been returned to local election offices. An additional six states will begin the process of mailing ballots within the next week.

In 22 of the 29 states where mail voting has either started or will start within the week, local election offices will have the opportunity to begin processing the ballots returned by voters ahead of Election Day – a process that, depending on the state, could range from signature verification to the actual tabulation of votes. That figure includes Maryland, where a judge ruled in favor of early tabulation late last week. Eight states, however – including Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – do not permit election officials to begin processing ballots until Election Day. The Associated Press has more:

FROM OUR PARTNERS

As Election Day approaches, it's important to remember voting access takes many forms. For some, it means voting on a ballot in a language other than English. For others, it’s having the option to vote early to avoid missing work or waiting in line on Election Day. For millions of voters with disabilities, access can hinge on the ability to receive assistance when casting a ballot. 

You may recall from our May edition of The Lever that our friends at Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) are leading the charge for accessibility at the ballot box in the Badger State. Since then, a legal saga saw the Wisconsin Supreme Court ban anyone other than the voter from returning an absentee ballot, only for a federal judge to step in and protect access for those who need assistance returning their ballot – citing protections for disabled voters enumerated in the Voting Rights Act. DRW played a pivotal role advocating on behalf of Wisconsin voters with disabilities, and their work helped ensure Wisconsinites who need help returning a ballot will have it in 2022. 

THE MARKUP