Democrat Senators Sponsor Bill Against President Trump to Allow More Voters to Cast Their Ballots by Mail

In a bill that is unlikely to ever make it through to President Trump’s desk, a group of Democrat Senators have sponsored the Natural Disaster and Emergency Relief Act that would make it easier for voters to cast their ballots by mail. It would also stay in effect permanently.

The bill is sponsored by 2020 failed Presidential candidate Amy Klobucher as well as Intel Vice Chair Mark Warner and 24 others including Cory Booker and Diane Feinstein.

The bill says that, “The lack of voting options in many states and sufficient emergency ballot procedures leaves many voters disenfranchised.” It calls for “no-excuse absentee vote-by-mail and ensure states begin processing (but not counting) votes cast during early voting or by mail 14 days before Election Day to avoid delays in counting votes on Election Day.”

In case of emergency, they now want to “require states and jurisdictions to establish a publicly available contingency plan to enable eligible Americans to vote and establish an initiative to recruit poll workers from high schools and colleges as well as from other State and local government offices.”

They also included a provision for Native Americans that says states need to “provide additional accommodations for Native American voters including allowing tribes to designate ballot pickup and drop-off locations and not requiring residential address for election mail.”

To pay for all of this they want to “authorize funds necessary to reimburse states for the cost of implementing the Act, such as providing absentee ballots and prepaid postage, and purchasing additional ballot scanners and absentee ballot drop boxes.”

For voters with disabilities, they want to “authorize funds necessary to reimburse states for the cost of developing or purchasing and implementing secure remote ballot marking to enable voters with disabilities to mark their ballots at home and vote by mail.”

They authorize additional funds by asking to “provide $3 million in additional funds to the EAC for supporting states in implementing the Act.”

They end the bill by saying, “All requirements will go into effect for the 2020 general election and thereafter.”