VOTING RULES

October 30, 2020

I feel compelled to comment on the confusion around the rules for nationwide elections as demonstrated by the spade of legal challenges and court rulings pertaining to the process of electioneering in the different States in America.

We all understand that the Constitution, in its very first Article gives the legislature of each State the right to prescribe the times, places and manner of holding elections, but we now find that the resulting wide variety in rules governing national elections causes uncertainty, disputes, and possible protest and violence. Our confidence in free and fair elections is not well served under these conditions.

I would argue that uniform adoption of the following rules would enhance the process.

·       Election Day is a National Holiday

·       Votes can be cast in person, by mail or hand delivery, or by dropping the ballot in an official drop box

·       Mail-in ballots will be provided only upon request

·       Ballots will be received on Election Day from 6:00 AM until 8:00 PM only at official polling stations.

·       Prior to Election Day, ballots will be received by mail or hand delivery at Board of Election offices or at official drop boxes.

·       Early voting starts 21 days prior to Election Day and stops 2 days before Election Day.

·       Mail-in ballots must be postmarked no less than 2 days before Election Day and received at the Board of Election offices no later than Election Day. Special provisions can be made for military personnel and other government representatives serving overseas.

·       All Boards of Elections will start processing and counting ballots 10 days prior to Election Day.

These simple, uniform rules would ensure that all eligible voters would have ample time and opportunity to cast their ballot in a most convenient way. It would also ensure that the outcome of the election is not unnecessarily delayed because of extended deadlines and diverging admissibility rules between the States.

Preferably, these rules would be adopted voluntarily by the legislatures of all 50 States of the Union, but if that is not feasible, they could be adopted in the form of a Constitutional Amendment.