opinion

Why wait for a disaster? Arizona should go to all-mail voting

If there is only one thing we will have learned from the coronavirus crisis – and let’s hope there is more than one thing – it would be that it is better to anticipate and prepare than it is to bury your head in the sand and react when disaster strikes.

At least one elected official in Arizona got the message: Secretary of State Katie Hobbs.

She sent a letter to the leadership at the Legislature and asked lawmakers to allow counties to operate the coming elections entirely by mail.

Hobbs wrote in part: “Health experts have said it could be months before the risk of infection subsides, with the possibility of a new outbreak after the summer months. We need to prepare now for any eventuality. Before the legislature adjourns, it is vital that we build more flexibility into the law — even if only on a temporary basis — to allow elections officials to adapt to the circumstances on the ground to best protect voters' health while also preserving the ability to exercise their right to vote.

“To accomplish this, County Boards of Supervisors should have the authority to conduct an all-mail election, at least for the 2020 Primary and General Elections.”

It doesn't need to be permanent

A number of states have postponed their primary elections to keep people safe and maintain the integrity of the voting process in light of the pandemic.

As Hobbs said in her letter, there is no way yet to accurately predict when the threat of coronavirus infection will abate. Given that, why not protect the democratic process by instituting the safer, all-mail version?

Sure, Arizona law already allows voters to get onto the state’s permanent early voting list. And, sure, those folks already are mailing in ballots.

But many others are not. And it is not only the voters who go to the polls who may need protection, but all of the volunteer poll workers and elections officials. All-mail voting would protect everyone, and protect as well our democracy.

Be proactive rather than reactive

Three states already use all-mail voting.

And, as Hobbs suggested, this doesn’t have to be made permanent (though that would be the best thing to do). Lawmakers could simply do this for the next election.

We don’t know what problems we are going to face by the time the election season rolls around.

This is an opportunity to get ahead of things.

It's simple. We can anticipate and prepare for what could be a problem, our we could bury our heads in the sand and react when disaster strikes.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.