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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2020)
OPINION/PUZZLES WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 HERMISTONHERALD.COM • A9 OUR VIEW America should imitate Oregon on voting by mail orma Paulus would be proud. And she would be amazed. As secretary of state from 1977 until 1985, Paulus was the prime mover of Ore- gon’s voting by mail. Other states have been slow to follow Oregon’s lead. But — in the way that sudden events provoke unexpected change — the coronavi- rus makes voting by mail a timely solution. Oregon’s U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, of Minnesota, have authored legislation to make the mail ballot more prevalent. For Wyden, this has been a long slog. He fi rst intro- duced this legislation in 2002. “I’ve never had the interest that we have now,” he said during a March 23 interview. “During the most recent slate of presi- dential primary elections, three states opted to post- pone voting because of the coronavirus.” In this climate, Wyden argues that the pandemic offers a stark choice. “Either people are not going to be able to vote or they vote by mail. If those N HH fi le photo U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is a vocal champion of Oregon’s vote-by-mail system, which he would like to see expanded to the entire country. are the two choices for America this fall, that is not a close call.” Like the bottle bill, pub- lic beaches and statewide land use planning, voting by mail is one of Oregon’s emblematic, pioneering achievements. Initially, it was a Republican proposal, opposed by labor unions that infl uenced the Demo- cratic Party. Then it became a Democratic Party cause, led by Secretary of State Phil Keisling, who served in the 1990s. Under Paulus, coun- ties were allowed to use the mail ballot for nonpri- mary or nongeneral elec- tions. When counties took advantage of the new mode of voting, turnout increased by factors of three and fi ve, Keisling said. In 1995, the Oregon Legislature enacted Keis- ling’s bill to allow vot- ing by mail, but Gov. John Kitzhaber vetoed the legislation. Months later, a surprise allowed Keisling to make history. When Bob Pack- wood resigned from the U.S. Senate in 1995, county clerks across Oregon urged Keisling to conduct the sud- den, special Senate election by mail ballot. He could do that, because existing stat- ute prohibited mail bal- lots only in the primary and general elections. The special primary in 1995 and the general elec- tion in early 1996 became the fi rst federal elections in America to be conducted by mail. Turnout was high — 58% in the special primary and 66% in the general. Wyden became Oregon’s new U.S. senator. In 1998, Oregon vot- ers by a margin of 2-to-1 approved a ballot measure mandating voting by mail in all Oregon elections. Keisling has contin- ued his advocacy within the National Vote At Home Institute, of which he is founder and a board mem- ber. His 2016 article in the Washington Monthly (“Vote From Home, Save Your Country”) is an extensive history of the national dis- cussion of mail balloting. In the most recent devel- opment, Wyden’s big- gest opponent is the vot- ing machine lobby. Of digital voting, the Oregon Democrat says: “A voting machine with remote access software is the equiva- lent of putting an Ameri- can ballot box in the Krem- lin.” He disparages the voting machine lobby, say- ing: “They lied to me, to The New York Times. They stonewalled Congress.” Wyden measures his progress by how many Republican senators who now say they are thinking about his proposal. The emergency pack- age in Congress in response to the coronavirus includes $400 million to help states with elections, but Wyden and Klobuchar believe more help is needed. “In times of crisis, the American people cannot be forced to choose between their health and exercis- ing their right to vote,” the senators said in a state- ment. “While this funding is a step in the right direc- tion, we must enact election reforms across the coun- try as well as secure more resources to guarantee safe and secure elections. We will continue to fi ght to pass the Natural Disaster and Emergency Ballot Act of 2020 to ensure every eli- gible American can safely and lawfully cast their ballot.” An adverse moment in history reinforces the case that voting by mail makes abundant sense. It’s time for America to imitate Oregon. This editorial refl ects the opinion of EO Media Group leadership. COLUMN We’re not going anywhere couple of weeks ago at elevated risk of exposure I wrote a column to COVID-19. I also worry titled “Things to be about friends and family grateful for in the age members who have of COVID-19.” lost their jobs. I have to admit, in That list includes the last week it has several longtime been more of a strug- co-workers who gle to feel grateful. were laid off last Like most Ameri- week, as EO Media cans (or, at least, the Jade Group had to cut 47 extroverts among us) McDowell positions across a I have grieved the dozen newspapers to NEWS EDITOR loss of normal activ- make up for the sud- ities I used to enjoy, den plunge in adver- from game nights with tising revenue we have friends to seeing a movie experienced. at the theater. I don’t know The cuts included multi- the next time I’ll be able to ple positions in our Herm- visit my parents or go on a iston offi ce, and I’m sick date or attend church. over losing every one of If that were all that were them. wrong with the world right Despite the blow this has now I’d tell myself I had been, the Hermiston Herald some new shows and new and East Oregonian will books I wanted to catch continue to print. up on anyway. But I worry These institutions, more for my friends and family than a century old, have who work in the health care withstood catastrophes of industry and are therefore all varieties, from the infl u- A CRYPTOQUIP enza of 1918 to the Great Depression to wars and nat- ural disasters. Once again, we are doing what we need to do to remain via- ble through these tests, and I am excited about some of the new things we are still discussing about bringing to Hermiston readers in the near future. We’re not abandoning you. I’m not abandoning you. Like everyone in quar- antine ... we’re not going anywhere. We live in turbulent times, but our community is still here, and still pulling together. People are sewing masks for health care workers, dis- tributing free food, going to the store for their elderly neighbors and sharing toi- let paper. It’s normal to feel sad and worried and it’s also OK to look for the sil- ver linings. Hang in there, everyone. Out for a stroll Staff photo by Jade McDowell A turkey wanders around the parking lot of Campus Life, across the street from Hermiston High School, on Monday afternoon. The large, inquisitive bird made her way around town Monday, including visits to shops downtown and to peer in the windows of the police station. SUPER CROSSWORD: THE THIN, THE FLAT, THE ROUND SUDOKU DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK EASTERN OREGON EVENTS The place to fi nd everything happening in Eastern Oregon. Post your events. It’s fast and easy! e-Edition For Hermiston Herald information 541-567-6457 • info@hermistonherald.com 333 E. Main St. • HermistonHerald.com Exact digital replica of this print edition is available online, every Wednesday by 5:30 a.m. Check out Hermiston Herald.com for more information.
