Trevor Potter Weighs in on Mail-In Voting

Despite opposition from President Donald Trump, many local Republican election officials across the country are continuing to push for expanding mail-in voting ahead of November’s election.

The novel coronavirus outbreak has made voting in person a health hazard: Wisconsin health officials have linked at least 19 new COVID-19 cases to the state’s primary election earlier this month.

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Trump has made completely unsubstantiated claims, said Trevor Potter, the general counsel to the late U.S. Sen. John McCain, Republican of Arizona, during both of his presidential runs.

“To attempt to turn this discussion about enabling all Americans to vote into a nakedly partisan debate is deeply disappointing during this time of national crisis,” he said. “This feels like a gut comment rather than a calculated one.”

Potter, who founded the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center, which advocates for expanding ballot access, said heavily Republican Utah as well as heavily Democratic Washington state implemented mail-in voting. Oregon has conducted its elections by mail since 2000.

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As November’s presidential election approaches, there will be greater pressure on state lawmakers and election officials to modify voting laws that allow for more absentee voting, said Potter of the Campaign Legal Center.

“Leaders in both parties are not going to want to put voters at risk,” he said.

Trevor Potter is also a Member of the Political Law Group at Caplin & Drysdale, Chartered.

For the full blog post, please visit The Pew Charitable Trusts' website.