ABA backs absentee ballots

Vote by mail

Regarding “Deliver us from folly,” (A14, May 21): The ability to cast a ballot before the official Election Day remains a popular option among the public, even during this pandemic. In nationally representative surveys conducted by the American Bar Association, the public expressed strong support for allowing voting before Election Day — 79 percent in March, before the pandemic had fully struck, and 71 percent in April, when the crisis had spread throughout the nation. Clearly, Americans want easier access to voting in these challenging times.

However, they also want to ensure that elections are secure. The ABA believes that all registered voters should be allowed to vote by absentee ballot, regardless of cause. As long as procedures are in place to ensure public confidence in the results, all qualified voters should be able to cast their ballots safely and securely.

Judy Perry Martinez, president, American Bar Association, Washington, D.C.

Science, not fear

Regarding “Panic vs. prevention,” (A14, May 6): The anti-vaccine crowd is already saying they will refuse any coronavirus vaccine whenever it is developed. They have no sense of history. I guess they’ve never seen pictures of horribly disfigured smallpox victims or scenes of polio wards filled with children in iron lungs. My parents made sure I was among the early recipients of the Salk vaccine. They believed in science, not fear.

Ed Szymanski, Kemah