Rep. Don Young joined nine other U.S. House members in introduced emergency legislation to help states ensure that those who want to vote in person can do so safely while also making mail-in voting more secure by cleaning state voter rolls.
The Emergency Assistance for Safe Elections (EASE) Act would appropriate $200 million to help minimize COVID-19 health concerns by cleaning in-person polling precincts and providing personal protective equipment. It also sets aside another $100 million to recruit younger poll workers to replace older workers who don’t feel comfortable manning the stations during COVID-19.
The EASE Act would also ban the practice of “ballot harvesting.”
An additional $100 million would help states update and clean their voter registration rolls to minimize the chance of voter fraud.
According to a report last August from the Public Interest Legal Foundation, Alaska was among the worst states in terms of bloated voter registration rolls. The foundation found that at least 244 counties in 28 states had inflated voter rolls. Alaska had an unbelievable 113% percent voter registration.
“Voting is one of the most important actions we as citizens can take to fully participate in our democracy,” Young said in announcing the EASE Act. “The November election is fast approaching, and we must ensure that citizens can safely cast their ballots and have their voices heard.”
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Young noted that many voters will be casting absentee ballots this year, and said the bill helps streamline the process of issuing ballots by ensuring accurate voter rolls.
“In 91 days, voters across Alaska and our nation will do their civic duty and cast their vote,” he said. “I will continue standing up for American voters and their right to safe and secure elections.”
The EASE Act would also ban the practice of “ballot harvesting” in which political operatives go door-to-door collecting ballots before turning them into polling places. The practice has a documented history of fraud.
