(Indianapolis, IN) – Calls are getting louder for Indiana’s governor to expand mail-in voting due to the risk of coronavirus. The LaPorte County Commissioners did so recently and late last week two former lieutenant governors jumped on the mail-in voting bandwagon.
John Mutz and Kathy Davis say expanding mail-in voting is needed because fewer polling places exist because of COVID-19 and long lines at the polls that will be open judging by record turnout projections. Without expanded mail-in voting, Mutz and Davis believe minorities, the disabled and low-income people, in particular, will not get to the polls because of the circumstances.
Polling locations were reduced in some counties due to a shortage of poll workers not wanting to risk exposure to coronavirus. Typically, mail-in voting is restricted to people who are going to be out of town or unable to get to the polls for some other reasons.
Expanded mail-in voting, which happened in many parts of the state during the May primary, allows voting by mail for any reason.