We should not let what happened in Wisconsin last week happen in Alabama in July and in November.

Vote Everywhere UA has put together a list of proposals to avoid an election-day catastrophe caused by COVID-19.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/11mClow1p_aWz6kyj171v7bCFKNsaxrNr/view

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It’s already difficult to vote in Alabama—there isn’t early voting, there isn’t no-excuse absentee voting, and casting an absentee ballot requires a multi-step process, among other hardships.

And a global health crisis heightens pre-existing obstacles to the ballot box.

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Holding a “business as usual” election during a pandemic is irresponsible. In-person voting must be an option—assuming polling places can meet social distancing/sanitization recommendations—but it can’t be the only option.

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So states must offer other options, like absentee voting. Which is why Vote Everywhere UA, along with other voting rights organizations, is advocating for an expansion of absentee voting.

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Alabama’s Secretary of State, @alasecofstate, has announced that any voter can vote using an absentee ballot during the COVID-19 outbreak. (Under normal circumstances, voters need an excuse to vote absentee.) But Alabama’s absentee ballot process isn’t easy for everyone.

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First, you need to go to http://alabamavotes.gov , locate the section for absentee voting, and print off a form to request an absentee ballot.

Then, you need to fill it out with your personal information, including a copy of your photo ID.

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Next, you either need to hand deliver the request form to an absentee election manager, or you need to obtain an envelope and a stamp, and send the form in.

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Then, assuming you filled out your request form correctly and turned it in on time, an election manager will mail you an absentee ballot.

Once you get it, you need to sort through the three envelopes, cast your votes, and obtain two witness signatures or a notarization.

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Then, you can hand deliver your ballot to an absentee election manager, or you can send your ballot in, which requires more postage.

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Assuming your ballot is postmarked no later than the day prior to the election and received by the absentee ballot manager no later than noon on election day, your vote will be counted.

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For the absentee voting process to work, the process must be easy and accessible to everyone. And right now, it’s not.

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What if you don’t have a printer? What if you don’t have a scanner? What if you don’t have internet access? What if you don’t have postage? What if you don’t live in a household with enough people to serve as witnesses?

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What if you can’t find a notary? What if going out in public threatens your health or the health of your loved ones? What if you can’t get an ID in time?

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Several groups in particular—the elderly, people experiencing poverty, people living in rural areas, people with preexisting medical conditions, and college students—will be disproportionately impacted during an election held during the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Here’s the deal: Without a change to our elections process, Alabamians of all political persuasions will be disenfranchised simply because they want to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy. No one should have to choose between voting and staying safe.

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We need no-excuse absentee voting, two weeks of early voting, waived postage fees for absentee voting, and a repeal of the witness signatures, notarization, and ID requirements.

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Other states have recognized the potential for chaos on Election Day—and have taken the necessary steps to keep people safe and engaged in the democratic process. Alabama must do the same.

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@GovernorKayIvey, @alasecofstate, and leaders in the Alabama Legislature need to take this issue seriously, before it's too late.

The integrity of Alabama’s elections will not be compromised by making it easier to vote during a global pandemic.

End thread.