Take advantage of opportunity to vote by mail

We have been tough on Pennsylvania’s Legislature and governors over the years, and for good reason. All too often our oversized government produces underwhelming results.

America’s largest fulltime Legislature often moves at a glacial pace. Crucial issues such as property tax reform and changes to the redistricting process have lingered unresolved for many years. Even something as simple as banning handheld cellphone use while driving never gets accomplished even though that sensible rule is the law in neighboring states.

One can blame it on divided government, but things haven’t been much better during periods when there was one-party control of all branches of government. The House, Senate and executive tend to have different ideas about how things should be done, regardless of party control.

Right now, however, Pennsylvania is benefiting from a remarkably welltimed decision to make some changes to our election laws. Late in 2019 strong bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate enacted and the governor signed a bill that improved accessibility to the polls.

Most notably, the law allows all registered voters to cast their ballot by mail up to 50 days before each election. It used to be that the only way to vote without going to the polls was to request an absentee ballot, which requires voters to certify that they are ill or will be out of town on the day of the election.

When that legislation became law, no one could have imagined how important it would turn out to be in the very first election in which it applies.

The coronavirus pandemic has made voting in person a risky proposition, especially for voters who are in high-risk groups, such as the elderly and those with chronic health conditions.

States that don’t have a mail-in vote law are scrambling to get some system in place in time for this year’s election. As with seemingly everything else in today’s politics, it’s a controversial issue. Fortunately we don’t have to worry about that in Pennsylvania. It’s already the law, even if some people are complaining about it.

Thanks to our leaders’ foresight on this issue, the concern here is making sure people are aware they have this opportunity and encouraging them to take advantage of it.

A key deadline is coming up. Applications to vote by mail in the June

2 primary must be in the county elections office by

5 p.m. Tuesday. The online form is at votespa.com. Residents who don’t have internet access should call their county elections office. Remember that only registered Democrats and Republicans may participate in the primary.

Completed mail-in or absentee ballots must be received by the county elections office by 8 p.m. on June 2, when the polls close.

We strongly encourage registered voters to participate in next week’s primary and to do so by mail. Doing so will protect the health of the voter and those they might encounter at the polls. It will also relieve stress on the depleted corps of poll workers this year.

Those who do intent to vote in person on June 2 should take note of potential changes in the location of their polls. Due to the pandemic, there will be fewer polling places than usual this spring. Elections officials have been mailing notices to households informing them of changes. Contact the elections office if you’re not sure where to go.

This election is still important even though the presidential nominations have been all but decided. There are key races for nominations in state and federal legislative races in many of our communities.

We urge readers to study up on the races and make an informed choice, ideally by mail, the safest way possible.

Most notably, the law allows all registered voters to cast their ballot by mail up to 50 days before each election. It used to be that the only way to vote without going to the polls was to request an absentee ballot, which requires voters to certify that they are ill or will be out of town on the day of the election.