Why do Some States Require an Excuse to Vote by Mail While Others Don't?

Several states, such as Arizona, have simplified the process by sending voting by mail kits to all registered voters. However, the rules aren't as straightforward in other states.

Take my experience in my southern state during the COVID-19 pandemic, for example: Anyone could vote by mail. Furthermore, the state automatically sent mail-in ballots to all citizens who were 65 years of age or older. This included me and my husband.

Voting by Mail Procedures in Other States

When Hurricane Helene hit and my husband was injured, our situation became more complicated. By the time the election approached, he was still recovering in a rehab center and we didn't know if he would be released by Election Day.

I initially contacted my county board of elections to find out how to get a mail-in ballot for him. The procedure turned out to be much more complicated than expected.

I was told I had to call the State Board of Elections in our state capitol to request an application for a mail-in ballot. Due to Columbus Day, I couldn't call immediately. Eventually, a representative informed me that according to state law, my husband could only get a mail-in ballot if he was in the hospital within four days prior to the election.

Of course, the release from the hospital was entirely up to his doctors. The representative then asked my husband's age, which was 74, and it automatically qualified him to apply to vote by mail.

It took seven days for the application to arrive at our home. I filled it out, and when I visited my husband at the post office, I sent it to our county elections office. It took another seven days for them to process and return it. In total, we spent 10 days to receive the mail-in ballot. It finally arrived on a Saturday just before the election.

My husband filled it out immediately and I mailed it on the same day. However, we're not certain whether or not the ballot made it to the county elections office by election day. The information we received said it was possible to track the ballot online to see when it arrived, but my husband was unsuccessful.

One might think that the regulations in our southern state are so strict because they don't want people to vote by mail. And you would probably be correct.