As if intentional voter suppression targeting communities of color in states dominated by conservative politicians wasn’t enough, the COVID-19 pandemic has made voting even more complicated and difficult. Even in states free from voter suppression, marginalized groups have had a harder time casting their ballots in primary elections, and will have a harder time in the general election too.

In response to the pandemic, many states are implementing universal voting by mail – but as Barbara explained, while vote-by-mail is great, it is not a panacea – especially for Black, Latinx, and Native American voters, and voters with disabilities.