The first federal #coronavirus relief package included $400 million for elections, which was a start. But we can't stop there. Here's why:

The general election IS happening on November 3. Elections officials nationwide want voters and poll workers to be protected and there are three important things every state must do to ensure it.

1) We need to get mail-in ballots to as many voters as possible. That means expanding no-excuse vote-by-mail in some states.

2) We need longer early voting periods. There are some voters who need assistance or prefer to vote in person. If we can encourage them to get to a polling place over a 10+ day period, we'll spread out the number of voters who are in one place at the same time.

3) We need regularly sanitized polling places with room for social distancing, and well-trained poll workers and volunteers who have the gear to protect themselves.

These protocols will take time and funding to put in place nationwide, but we have more than six months to get it done. We can and must do it -- to protect democracy and lives.