Elections 2020

The vote by mail ballot for the November 3rd election came last week.  It was completed and mailed on October 6, 2020.  The ballot was received by the Elections Department on October 8, 2020.  So far so good.  It's been reported that Miami Dade County will begin counting mail in ballots on October 12, 2020.

This is the first time in my life I have voted by mail.  I have usually voted in person on the appointed election day and have only missed an election while in West Virginia for graduate school.  I had an advantage in voting because my employer gave me an hour off of work to go vote.  I have also been poll worker, voting registrar, and election day troubleshooter and a person who helped screen punch cards to make sure they would go through the computer and be counted.  These election jobs were something I got assigned to as a county employee loaned to the Elections Department during my 30 plus year career with Miami Dade County.

Meanwhile: California’s top election official has filed cease and desist orders against Republican Party officials after the party began collecting mail ballots for the November election with drop boxes at churches, gas stations and gun stores. Secretary of State Alex Padilla said such ballot boxes are not permitted under the state elections code, and the only legal drop boxes are those deployed and maintained by elections officials.

Meanwhile: A U.S. federal judge blocked on Friday an order from Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott limiting the number of drop-off sites allowed for absentee ballots statewide to just one per county, a constraint Democrats denounced as blatant voter suppression.

On Saturday: A federal appeals court on Saturday granted a temporary administrative stay, allowing Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's directive for one location per county for ballot drop boxes to remain in place for now.

The Texas methodology for collecting ballots isn't very convenient or voter friendly for voters without cars or public transportation to delver their votes.  

Getting to your polling place on November 3rd, 2020 could be complicated by long lines and voter's concerns about their health due to the pandemic.

It's really important to vote.  Send them a message.  Don't be gaslighted.  GO VOTE!

Comments

  1. John AsgeirsonOctober 16, 2020 at 3:27 AM

    Earlier this week the Miami Dade Election Department Website posted that my vote had been counted. One less thing to worry about or work around.

    ReplyDelete

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