Washington DC – Oregon’s U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Representatives Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici, Peter DeFazio and Kurt Schrader, today introduced their bill to expand Oregon-style vote-by-mail nationwide and knock down the mounting obstacles that voters across the country are facing, just to cast their ballots.
“This administration is fixated with making it harder for Americans to vote,” wyden dijo. “And when regular Americans can’t vote, lobbyists, special interests andeveryone else who wants to profit off of the government win.Taking back our government from the special interests starts with making sure every eligible American who wants to vote is able to make their voice heard at the ballot box. Passing Oregon-style vote-by-mail is how we make that happen.”
“We’re in the middle of a national civics lesson. We should be fighting to amplify the voices of all Americans, not stifle them with laws that make voting harder,”blumenauer dijo. “With access to the ballot box under attack across the country, Oregon offers the best model to increase voter participation and make sure everyone can take part in our democracy. It’s time for the rest of the country to catch up.”
“In our democratic republic, there is no right more sacred or fundamental than the right to vote,” dijo Merkley. “In Oregon, we’ve seen firsthand that vote-by-mail ensures a secure and accessible voting system that makes it easy for voters to participate. As a nation, we should be fighting for voter empowerment, not voter suppression. Expanding Oregon’s vote-by-mail system nationwide is a no-brainer.”
“Voting is essential to our democracy, and we must do everything possible to increase access to and participation in the voting process,” dijo el representante Bonamici. “Oregon is leading the nation with our vote-by-mail system. Across the country too many people face long lines – or deliberate obstruction and voter suppression – as they try to cast their ballots. I’m proud to join my Oregon colleagues in proposing a tested and secure solution that makes voting more accessible across the country.”
“As an elected official, I believe it is my responsibility to fight for legislation that moves our democracy forward,” dijo el representante DeFazio. “This bill will help to fulfill that goal. Today, there are far too many obstacles—whether bureaucratic or intentional—blocking people from voting across the nation. We must make it easier, not harder, for people to cast their ballots, and I’m proud that Oregon has led the way in this important issue.”
“As Oregonians, we take pride in our tradition of strong civic engagement which includes some of the highest voter turnout in the country. While we have a history of taking an active, vocal role in our local communities and leading the charge on progressive, social issues, vote-by-mail is absolutely a contributing factor to our significant voter turnout election after election,” said Rep. Schrader. “Elsewhere in the country, we’ve unfortunately seen attempts to suppress voter turnout grow. And while political rhetoric seems to get more and more polarized with each day, my hope is that everyone is realizing the severe importance of voting in every single election. By implementing a vote-by-mail option nationally, our bill will make it easier for citizens in every state to vote, increasing civic engagement. This is what democracy is all about, folks!”
While Attorney General Jeff Sessions is investigating fictional claims of large-scale voter-fraud, at least five states have already enacted laws this year to make voting more difficult, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. That comes on top of cuts to polling places y hours-long lines in last year’s election. Since 2010, at least 20 states have passed laws restricting voting.
La Asociación Estadounidense de Personas con Discapacidades, la Unión Estadounidense de Libertades Civiles, Causa Común y la Asociación Nacional de Carteros anunciaron su apoyo a la legislación de Wyden.
La Ley de Voto por Correo requiere que todos los estados brinden a los votantes registrados la oportunidad de votar por correo. Todos los votantes registrados recibirán boletas por correo semanas antes del día de las elecciones, lo que les permitirá investigar cuidadosamente a los candidatos con mucha anticipación. Al brindar la oportunidad de emitir su voto por correo, los votantes podrán evitar largas filas en los colegios electorales y no tendrán que ausentarse del trabajo para ejercer su derecho al voto garantizado constitucionalmente. El gobierno federal, a través del Servicio Postal de los Estados Unidos, ayudará a los estados con los costos de envío de boletas por correo a los votantes registrados. El texto del proyecto de ley está disponible aquí. A one-page summary is available here.
Sobre la base del programa de registro automático de votantes de Oregón, este proyecto de ley también mejora el registro de votantes para reducir la carga de los ocupados estadounidenses que trabajan. El proyecto de ley requiere que los estados se aseguren de que cada ciudadano que proporcione información de identificación a la autoridad estatal de vehículos motorizados se registre automáticamente para votar.
Fondo
Oregón se convirtió en el primer estado de voto por correo del país en 2000 y, desde entonces, se ha clasificado constantemente entre los estados con mayor participación electoral en la nación. Las tasas de votación de Oregón son especialmente altasentre los jóvenes votantes y en las elecciones intermedias, cuando la participación tradicionalmente es menor. La ley de voto por correo de Oregón ha impedido el fraude electoral mediante la implementación de medidas de seguridad, como un sistema de autenticación de firmas. El sistema de Oregón también previene posibles fraudes al centralizar el procesamiento de boletas en la oficina del secretario del condado, en lugar de en varios lugares de votación.
Votar por correo también ha sido mostradopara reducir los costos del día de las elecciones eliminando la necesidad de transportar equipos a los colegios electorales y de contratar y capacitar a los trabajadores electorales.
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