In the midst of a global pandemic, alternatives to voting have been proposed. Mail-in ballots are being accepted with fewer restrictions and criteria to meet than standard absentee ballots, and drive-thru voting has become another solution. The drive-thru option is under a spotlight as a group of Republicans from Texas have been pushing to invalidate over 100,000 of those ballots. Drive-thru ballots are essential, and taking away this option will only limit people’s ability to vote. Not to mention the fact that minority groups have been disproportionately affected during the pandemic, and this year’s voting was harder for them due to voter suppression.
On Sunday, a group of Republicans in Harris County gathered a petition to invalidate drive-thru ballots. If the Texas Supreme Court had accepted it, over 127,000 ballots would not have been counted. Luckily, that was not the case, as the Texas Supreme Court denied the petition. The Republicans claimed the petition was created due to concern surrounding voter fraud, and lawsuits were enacted alleging that drive-thru voting violated federal law.
The same group filed another petition that was heard last Monday, Nov. 2, to again argue against drive-thru voting. The area is known for being more left-leaning due to the large number of minorities residing there. It is no coincidence that the lawsuit aims to invalidate votes to try to shift the election results. The case against drive-thru voting is absurd.
Voting is already inaccessible during a pandemic, especially if you belong to a marginalized identity. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by the New York Times, “Latinx and Black residents of the United States have been three times as likely to become infected as their white neighbors, and Black and Latinx people have been near twice as likely to die from the novel coronavirus as white people.” It is already challenging to receive a large voter turnout for minorities, and the pandemic worsens this as people fear voting in person. Drive-thru voting is safer and can help minorities have a voice in the presidential election.
The only thing the petitions may accomplish is taking away people’s right to vote. Drive-thru voting is essential during these times. In order to get more voter participation during the pandemic, people must be given multiple options for contact-free voting. This form of voting assures that people can stay safe while also exercising their legal rights.
We may be accustomed to specific norms. When change occurs, it is normal that people will be concerned and uncomfortable. But change is inevitable. We are living through a historical time period. The pandemic has forever changed society in ways we may never comprehend, and we need to adjust and respond in a progressive way that takes into account people of color. Drive-thru voting is the future; it is essential in order to ensure that everyone has a voice.
