Give Floridians more secured drop-boxes so their votes are safe, secure in November | Opinion

In order to assure that every vote is counted and that every voter has the ability to exercise their franchise without worry for their health, we need widespread use of secure vote-by-mail drop-boxes throughout Florida. In the crucible of a pandemic and considering President Trump’s claims that our Postal Service may be overwhelmed, it is an obvious and necessary measure.

What is a secured vote-by-mail drop-box? A year ago, the Florida Legislature passed a measure that provided for this alternative where voters can drop off their completed vote-by-mail ballots. Rather than put a ballot in the mail, voters can simply deposit their signed ballots in a secured drop-box.

In the primary election, Miami-Dade County put drop-boxes at the county’s 23 early-voting locations during the same times as the two-week early-voting period. The drop-boxes were secured and also staffed by employees of the elections supervisor’s office. Despite the newness of the method, nearly 20,000 voters used a drop box to turn in their ballots without incident.

As we prepare for the November election, it’s critical that we expand this method of returning a ballot so that a secured drop-box is conveniently available to every voter; o that it becomes a favored and stress-free way to vote.

According to Florida law, the county could put a secured drop-box at any site that qualifies to be an early-voting site. That is, the Election Department could place them at many more sites than just the already-designated early-voting sites, but also those that qualify to be. For instance, they could be placed at any civic center or community center, or a government-owned senior center. Courthouses, libraries and city halls also qualify. In a county that has almost 3 million residents spread out over 2,000 square miles — and in the midst of a pandemic — it’s clear many more drop-boxes are needed.

President Trump repeatedly has argued against widespread mail-in ballots, claiming — wrongly — that it will result in fraud. He also has asserted that the mail system lacks the capacity to process large-scale mail-in ballots. The postmaster repeated this claim in a letter sent to 46 states, including Florida, where he warned that mail-in ballots may “not be returned in time to be counted.”

Putting aside that the president’s arguments seem intended to suppress turnout, the easiest way to directly address and remedy these concerns, whether real or imagined, is to create a robust infrastructure of secured drop-boxes. This guarantees an easy, safe and reliable system for turning in your ballots in-person, reducing any possible strain on the Postal Service. Every voter would know that they can fill out their ballot safely, in the comfort of their home, and bring them to an easily accessible location nearby.

Nobody should want to repeat the chaos that has too often defined the Florida voting experience. The number of vote-by-mail ballots likely will be unprecedented in November. In the primary, where only 28 percent of voters turned out, a full 62 percent voted by mail. The November election could create record turnout which could cause real challenges at Early Voting sites and on Election Day especially in the midst of a pandemic.

Think back to 2008, when voters were waiting, sometimes, all day in lines, in the hot sun, and even in storms. Imagine these scenes during a pandemic where it won’t be about just making it too difficult to vote, but too dangerous. Many people — especially seniors, and those with underlying health issues, or simply those who would like to avoid going indoors and waiting in lines — would rather turn in their ballot without having to worry about COVID-19.

No Floridian should have to choose between their health and their desire to participate in an election. And given the president’s own concerns about the Postal Service, it makes supreme sense to give our residents, especially our most vulnerable, much greater access to this reliable and secure means of participation in our democracy.

Dan Gelber is the mayor of Miami Beach.