Many Conservatives Support Vote by Mail. Here’s Why.
In recent months, vote-by-mail and absentee ballot initiatives have gained considerable attention due to worries that traditional in-person voting may facilitate the spread of COVID-19. However, due in part to President Trump’s remarks against voting by mail, this concern has become a partisan flashpoint in Congress.
As staunch advocates for secure and accessible elections, we at Business for America believe that increasing access to vote by mail during a global pandemic is not a Democratic or Republican issue but an American one. And we believe that the business community can play an important role in overcoming partisan divides to ensure every voter can cast their ballot safely this fall.
The reasons to expand mail-in balloting are numerous. For one, people ages 65 and older comprise a sizable population of voters in every state during every election year, and these same voters have a higher risk of COVID-19 complications. They also vote Republican at a higher rate than any other age group. If elderly citizens choose to avoid the polls in November out of concern for their health and safety and are unable to vote at home instead, this would surely hurt Republican candidates across the nations.
In addition, the majority poll workers across the country come from the 65+ demographic. Many of these poll workers have already chosen to stay home because of the coronavirus, forcing polling locations to be shut down. Just as in the primaries, the resulting staff shortage and polling location elimination will cause long lines on Election Day, and many voters will be unable to cast their ballot. Election chaos and voter disenfranchisement hurt our democracy’s legitimacy. Widespread access to absentee ballots will mitigate this issue.
Of course, there are some Republicans who argue that mail-in ballots facilitate fraud, but the evidence proves otherwise. According to conservative presidential commissions and conservative think tanks like the Heritage Foundation and R Street Institute, voter fraud levels have remained consistently low over the past few decades, including states that made voting by mail available to everyone.
Others will claim that vote-by-mail initiatives unfairly advantage Democrats. However, numerous studies have more than proven that there is virtually no partisan effect on turnout rates when vote-by-mail efforts are implemented. In fact, many polls have shown a strong majority of both Democrats and Republicans believe all voters should have the option to vote remotely in this election due to health concerns.
In June 2020, we hosted a webinar titled Conservative Roundtable on Safe, Secure Elections with Vote by Mail to discuss the reasons why many on the right support expanding vote-by-mail. Washington Secretary of State Kim Wyman explained that “everyone votes by mail” in her state, and her job “is to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat. Voting by mail is not a partisan issue, and who benefits depends on which candidate and party has the better voter turnout system.”
So, how can we overcome partisan rhetoric and expand access to absentee ballots before November?
Mindy Finn, co-founder of the right-of-center organization Stand Up Republic, has commented on the necessity of a middle-ground compromise between voting at home and in-person voting. For example, some states are more receptive to the idea of expanding absentee balloting, which requires a request from the voter rather than automatic action from the government. The states are “laboratories of democracy,” and each will need to tailor its approach. Moreover, when considering the current need that many states have for additional funding to run their elections, Finn noted that conservatives should get behind the idea of Congressional support that does not mandate how states spend the funds or risk “federalizing” the election.
At the bare minimum, Business for America contends that every voter in every state should have the choice to cast their ballot without going to a physical location. Congress simply needs to provide funding (estimated to be $3.6B) to states that are working to expand access to vote at home to the greatest extent possible — and Congress needs to do so as soon as possible.
Businesses need to do their part as well, especially in states like Wisconsin and Georgia that were clearly unprepared for their primary elections. As Defending Democracy Together Founder Bill Kristol put it during our webinar, companies have a corporate responsibility “to weigh in in a serious way… to condition their various political donations and other civic participation” upon the running of a credible election. Kristol added that “…it’s a fundamental right of every American to be able to vote, and that government should enable — not impede — this right.”
At Business for America, we’re calling on businesses across the nation to take action to ensure every voter has a voice in 2020.
First, we’re asking businesses to sign our letter urging Congress to give states the funds necessary to offer secure absentee voting and expand safe, early in-person voting.
Second, we’re inviting businesses to support local election officials who have the herculean task of running this year’s unique elections. By providing personal protective equipment, volunteer poll workers, facilities, and other resources, the business sector can do its part to ensure safe, secure, accessible, and accurate election results.
In supporting vote-at-home initiatives, businesses can lead the national conversation and send a clear message that this is not a partisan issue but an American one, helping our employees, customers, and communities to vote safely this year.
