Honestly, Just Vote In Person?It?s Safer Than You Think

The New York Times called it “a dangerous spectacle that forced voters to choose between participating in an important election and protecting their health.” After state Democrats fought unsuccessfully to extend the deadline for mailing back absentee ballots, the ensuing photos of long lines at Milwaukee polling places seemed to presage an explosion of Covid-19 cases.But the bomb never blew. Still, it’s telling that there have been no credible reports of virus spikes attributable to any other election this year, even though ill-considered polling place closures have led to further instances of Milwaukee-style overcrowding.For most people, standing in a spaced-out line, outdoors, while wearing masks, entails at most a paltry risk.Why might voting be safer than expected? “If you go and wear a mask, if you observe the physical distancing, and don't have a crowded situation, there’s no reason why you shouldn't be able to do that.” Likewise, a recent report from the Brennan Center for Justice advises, “In-person voting can be conducted safely if jurisdictions take the necessary steps to minimize the risk of transmission of Covid-19 to voters and election workers.”While funding is an ever-present issue, election administrators around the country from both parties have been learning how to run socially distanced elections since March. Even New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie, one of the few voices to make the case for in-person voting, frames it as a necessary sacrifice: “The pandemic makes that a risk,” he concludes, “but it’s a risk many of us may have to take.” The truth is that it’s a minor risk. But if the goal is to avoid disenfranchisement, these leaders would be better off reminding voters that going to the polls is safe and secure, too.To be clear, even the low risk of voting in person is too much to ask of the millions of Americans whose age or medical history makes them especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.