Voting rights across the country are under attack, according to U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden's office.

To combat that, Wyden and Sen. Jeff Merkley introduced a bill Thursday to expand Oregon's vote-by-mail system nationwide. Oregon Rep. Earl Blumenauer is spearheading a related measure in the House.

The bill - the Vote By Mail Act of 2016 - would require every state to provide registered voters the chance to vote by mail and send ballots and pre-paid envelopes out at least two weeks before an election. It would also amend the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to provide for automatic voter registration through a state's department of motor vehicles.

#VoteByMail allows Americans to better exercise their right to vote. #VoteByMail Act gives every American the option pic.twitter.com/SB8GqFDecK — Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) July 14, 2016

In 2000, Oregon became the first state in the country to vote entirely by mail - a move proponents say allows voters to avoid long lines at polling places and makes voting more accessible for groups often disenfranchised.

Washington and Colorado also vote exclusively by mail, and 22 other states allow some elections to be conducted by mail.

"Too many states are making working Americans, people of color, young people and those with disabilities go to absurd lengths just to exercise their constitutional right to vote," Wyden said in a statement. "Government can never truly represent the American people if citizens don't have the opportunity to have their voices heard at the ballot box."

Congress: Stand up to special interests who want to keep working & young Americans, people of color & others from voting. Pass #VoteByMail! — Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) July 14, 2016

In the last presidential election, 30 percent of voters with disabilities had problems voting, and more than 5 million people waited more than an hour to vote, according to the bill.

The legislation is backed groups like the American Association of People with Disabilities and American Civil Liberties Union.

"This is critically important now that Americans can no longer count on the Voting Rights Act's full protections in light of the troubling voter suppression measures across the country," American Civil Liberties Union Voting Rights Project Director Dale Ho said in a statement.

Voters in 17 states will face new hurdles while attempting to vote in the 2016 presidential election, according to Wyden's office. Legal restrictions include strict photo ID requirements and early voting cutbacks.

"Making sure all Americans have the ability to exercise their right to vote is critical to our Democratic process," said Blumenauer, who introduced the House bill alongside Rep. David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island). "There is no better time to provide more options for Americans to vote."

Critics of vote-by-mail say it could allow for voter fraud and may compromise people's right to a secret ballot. Security measures like the signature verification process, the bill states, "nearly eliminate the potential for fraud."

"Evidence of undue influence or voter coercion after vote-by-mail implementation in Oregon has been nonexistent to minimal," the bill states.

And vote-by-mail increases voter turnout, according to the bill. The average turnout during the 2012 primaries was at 18 percent nationally, but Oregon's was at 45 percent.

Congress would provide the U.S. Postal Service with funding to cover costs, and vote-by-mail has proved to be more cost effective than traditional polling places. It's between one-third and one-half cheaper, according to the bill.

"Voting is our most sacred and fundamental right as Americans," Merkley said in a statement. "Instead of making it harder to vote, as far too many states across the country have done, we should make it easier - just like in Oregon."

- Talia Richman

trichman@oregonian.com

@TaliRichman