The coronavirus pandemic has already caused chaos in the healthcare and global economy. There is also reason to worry that it could affect democracy by thwarting the US presidential election in November. Continued blockades or new stay-at-home measures triggered by a second wave of the virus later this year could prevent Americans from appearing in the ballot box. An even worse scenario would be if the Trump administration tried to use the virus as an excuse to suppress turnout. This could call into question the entire legitimacy of the US election process and its results.

Democrats are pushing for nationwide access to postal ballots well before November. Efforts in this direction, led by Senators Amy Klobuchar, Chris Coons and Ron Wyden, would extend early personal voting and would require all states to allow citizens to vote by mail easily.

About a quarter of voters already file ballots in the mail, but many states require a formal reason, such as disability. Some states are beginning to waive these requirements given the breadth of the pandemic, but much work remains to be done to ensure that all US citizens can safely vote by mail and register online if necessary. It will also be imperative to ensure that a possible new voting system can be put in place well in advance of the fall elections. Democrats say it could require an additional 2-3 billion USD in spending for the states, something they are trying to push into the next stimulus package, Care 2, which may be ready for discussion in the next two weeks.

In the meantime, the Trump administration has raised the view that mail voting systems are vulnerable to fraud. There is little evidence of this. But Republicans believe a broader postal vote could skew the results in favor of Democrats, as it could favor voters in urban areas more affected by the pandemic and quarantine. In an interview with Fox News, the president said that if Congress passed the election reforms Democrats demanded, “there will never be a Republican in this country again”.

The recent Wisconsin primary election was a litmus test for concern in both parties. Despite the health risks of a personal vote and problems with the timely mailing of ballots to voters, the Supreme Court has ruled that the election – including not only the Democratic primary election but also the election of a key member of the local state Supreme Court – should continue. A record number of voters came out to support Joe Biden, currently the Democratic nominee, and to choose a Democrat to judge.

However, no one should choose between their health and participation in the election process. There are a number of suggestions on how to ensure that the elections in November are fair, free, and representative, including a plan presented by the Brennan Center for Justice. Recommendations include: ensuring that polling stations allow for social distance, expanding early voting options, online voter registration, and ensuring that mailing is a free opportunity for all.

To do all this will require state legislators and governors to adopt new laws and introduce new measures. This should happen now. Funding should be provided at the federal level. Donald Trump, like Joe Biden, must promise to honor the results of such a system. The pandemic was already worth too much. America cannot afford its democratic system to become the biggest victim of the coronavirus.