Articles

Democrats on Capitol Hill Want Ron DeSantis to Mail Absentee Ballots to All Registered Florida Voters

Florida Daily / Kevin Derby / April 5, 2020

This week, most of the Democrats in the Florida delegation on Capitol Hill, signed a letter urging Gov. Ron DeSantis to mail absentee ballots to all registered voters across the state.

The letter was led by U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., who asked for absentee ballots to be mailed with the packages including pre-paid postage and self-sealing envelopes to mail them back.

"The nation's voters are slated to cast ballots in presidential, congressional, state, and local elections this year, but the spread of the novel coronavirus has caused a slew of states to delay their primary elections and threatens to depress voter turnout as people avoid polling sites out of fear of contracting the virus," Wilson's office noted. "Florida is one of 28 states that already allow ‘no-excuse' absentee voting. Voting for all elections in Colorado, Oregon, and Washington is done by mail."

Besides Wilson, other signers included Florida Democrats U.S. Reps. Kathy Castor, Charlie Crist, Val Demings, Ted Deutch, Lois Frankel, Alcee Hastings, Al Lawson, Donna Shalala, Darren Soto and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

"Our state's vote-by-mail infrastructure could be expanded by reallocating funds designated for polling locations, voting machines, poll workers, and other election administration expenditures," the representatives wrote. "Moreover, the CARES Act includes $400 million in election security grants that states like Florida may use to increase their ability to conduct elections by mail."

"This virus has already disrupted the day-day lives of every Floridian, and for many who are at the frontlines of this virus, including health-care workers, seniors, and people with pre-existing conditions, it has been all-consuming," Wilson said on Thursday. "However, this disaster shouldn't keep people from exercising their right to vote and thankfully Florida already has a robust vote-by-mail infrastructure in place to build upon."