COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform

The document asserts that current US voting conditions are inadequate for a pandemic, citing primary election failures in states like Wisconsin, Illinois, and Florida. It advocates for universal vote-by-mail, automatic and online registration, and expanded early in-person voting to protect voters and ensure electoral integrity.

• The United States is deemed unable to conduct a free and fair election under existing conditions due to the COVID-19 outbreak, with evidence from primaries where sixteen states postponed voting and others faced poll worker shortages and emergency closures.
• In Wisconsin's primary, over 1 million voters used mail ballots, yet thousands did not receive requested ballots due to backlogs, and more than 50 poll workers or in-person voters tested positive for COVID-19.
• The document identifies a critical lack of universal vote-by-mail infrastructure, noting that only six states have implemented it and nearly half of all states had 10 percent or fewer votes cast by mail in the previous presidential election.
• Voter registration access is limited, with only 18 states offering automatic voter registration and 39 providing online registration, the latter of which often requires DMV-obtained identification.
• To ensure safe in-person voting for those unable to use mail, the document recommends opening voting centers at least two weeks before Election Day; however, only 25 states currently meet this timeframe.
• There is a significant deficiency in ballot verification and correction processes, with only eight states utilizing best practices to contact voters regarding verification problems and provide rapid eligibility verification.
• The document highlights a risk that the presidential election could be decided by states that already limit representation through gerrymandering and voter ID laws, particularly in states with high COVID-19 rates and high electoral competitiveness.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2020). COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/covid-19-voting-reform-national.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform. 2020. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/covid-19-voting-reform-national.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform |date=July 2020 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/covid-19-voting-reform-national.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2020covid19, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{COVID-19 Underscores the Need for Voting Reform}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2020}, month = jul, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-07/covid-19-voting-reform-national.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }