Newsweek: 16 STATES RESTRICT ACCESS TO VOTING BY MAIL—HOW THAT COULD CHANGE 2020 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

As the coronavirus pandemic heightens concerns about participation in November’s general election, advocates are calling on officials in the over one dozen states where voting by mail is heavily restricted to expand access to absentee ballots.

According to research compiled by the National Vote at Home Institute, 16 states limit the distribution of absentee ballots—which can be mailed or otherwise delivered to the voter’s home—to residents who present a lawful excuse for avoiding in-person voting, such as planned travel or a disability.

Of those states, five—West Virginia, Alabama, Indiana, Delaware and Massachusetts—have already waived these limitations for voters in upcoming primary and statewide elections because of public health concerns over the virus’ spread.

The abilities of these and other states to expand vote-by-mail options come November are alternately limited by political will, state law or the state constitution.

Government watchdog group Common Cause has called on all states to “expand vote-by-mail programs and absentee voting wherever possible.”

“This is a time for our country to be united to protect each other as we face COVID-19, and that includes rethinking the way we manage our elections in many states,” Karen Hobert Flynn, the nonprofit’s president, said in a press release.