Voting and the Law: Resources from Thomson Reuters
The U.S. presidential election is four months away, and state officials are busy preparing for Election Day amid a pandemic. Thomson Reuters offers several resources and expert analysis on voting and the laws that protect, and restrict, the right to vote.
Last week, Reuters journalist Andy Sullivan reported on mail-in voting, noting it’s expected to nearly double due to COVID-19. He explained how prevalent voting by mail is in the United States, with nearly 1 in 4 voters casting their 2016 presidential ballots by mail.
His article explored how rare U.S. mail-ballot fraud is and noted that election experts do not expect an increase in ballot fraud. He examined the methods for ensuring the security of mail balloting, while noting the drawbacks, including rejections of ballots for arriving too late or missing signatures. Mail ballots also can pose additional barriers to those who don’t speak English.
Yet, Sullivan explained, voting turnout rates tend to be higher in states that conduct elections by mail. Also, mail balloting can help minimize problems such as the long lines, faulty voting machines and COVID-19-induced staffing shortages experienced at some elections earlier this year. Read Sullivan’s full article here.
In addition to Reuters comprehensive coverage of the 2020 U.S. elections, Thomson Reuters resources on voting and the law are available on FindLaw.com. For FindLaw resources on state laws and regulations around voting – including a guide to voting in each state – voting rights history and law, voting amid COVID-19 and more, click here.
