For Immediate Release
Contact: Molly Woon
[email protected]
April 17, 2020
On a press call today, Democratic Party of Oregon Chair KC Hanson, Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez, Democratic Association of Secretaries of State Chair Alex Padilla, Colorado Democratic Party Chair Morgan Carroll, and Washington State Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski highlighted the importance of safe, accessible voting, particularly the urgent need for vote-by-mail and expanded early voting access in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Slamming the GOP’s false attacks on these programs, they discussed Oregon, Colorado, and Washington’s years of success with mail-in voting and highlighted the safety, security, and accessibility these states have enjoyed since adopting it.
KC Hanson, Chair, Democratic Party of Oregon:
“This crisis demands immediate action to preserve Americans’ ability to vote without sacrificing their health or their safety, and Oregon has long demonstrated that we can accomplish just that. Oregonians have been voting by mail exclusively for more than two decades — a full generation — and it has strengthened our democracy every step of the way. As Oregonians, we are very proud to have been the trailblazers of such a successful and efficient voting system.”
Tom Perez, Chair, Democratic National Committee:
“We’re 200 days from the most important presidential election of our lifetime, and nobody should be forced to choose between their health and their right to vote. […] This shouldn’t be a right vs. left issue. This is a right vs. wrong issue. It is wrong to force people to put their own safety at risk to exercise their right to vote. It is right to ensure that people have options on how they vote.”
Alex Padilla, Chair, Democratic Association of Secretaries of State:
“Maintaining free, fair, and safe elections begins with each state adopting specific plans to allow voters to vote-by-mail without needing a specific excuse and to allow each voter the option to vote early, in-person, for a full 20 days before Election Day. … These are proven, commonsense elections practices. California and other states have demonstrated that they work and that they’re better for voters and for the integrity of our elections.”
Morgan Carroll, Chair, Colorado Democratic Party:
“Nobody should have to choose between their constitutional right to vote and their health or their very life. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, it is just flatly inexcusable that President Trump or Colorado’s own Republican Senator Cory Gardner could oppose such a proven, commonsense alternative that even they have used.”
Tina Podlodowski, Chair, Washington State Democratic Party:
“In Washington, we know that vote-by-mail is safe and secure, and any suggestion that it leads to voter fraud is simply not based in reality or fact. We’ve got 15 years of experience to prove it. Every voter should have the opportunity to mail their ballots from home. It’s secure, it’s convenient, and it increases turnout among working people and vulnerable populations that are hit hardest by this virus. Voting by mail is a commonsense solution that should garner bipartisan support, especially in this moment of crisis.”
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