I have caught a lot of flack for not being sympathetic with special pleas for special pre-election voting facilities in sparsely populated areas when a 49 cent letter can get you a ballot by mail and another 49 cents or so can return the ballot.
I voted today and while at the auditor's office asked how many mail requests for ballots they had received. Tripp and Todd counties together are not a lot of voters. She said so far only 50 such requests and few of those requests came from Todd County. On that small number, it would cost the county less than $100 to pre-pay the return postage.
I mentioned this idea to a friend and he suggested a much better idea. The US Post Office should provide free mailing for requesting ballots and for returning ballots. With all the subsidies for things less important to democracy than voting, this would be a powerful indication that our government values voters and voting. Even if the US Post Office claims they can't afford this, it would be appropriate for our US Senators, US Representatives, and our US President to provide funding to the Post Office for handling ballots by mail. For some homebound people with minimum income, this might be the difference between voting and not voting.
This would be a relatively inexpensive but meaningful policy. If you agree, let your candidates and Congress Critters know about it.
A comment at Madville Times suggested getting organizations involved. These might find this idea worthwhile.
Americans for Democratic Action
Wikipedia Disability action and rights
And, both the Democratic and Republican Parties should support an idea like this, but we best not hold our breaths waiting for common sense from current Congress Critters and their parties.
*** Stay tuned, maybe somebody else with come up with other interesting ideas-- Doug Wiken
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