LA County Supervisors Propose Sending Mail Ballots To All Voters In November

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Two Los Angeles County supervisors are calling for mail ballots to be sent to all registered voters moving forward, beginning with the general election this November.

The motion, which was proposed by Supervisors Janice Hahn and Sheila Kuehl, is in response to health and safety concerns brought about by the coronavirus.

It would require that vote-by-mail ballots be sent out to all eligible voters for the Nov. 3 general election.

Many experts have said that there could be a second coronavirus outbreak in the fall.

"No one should have to choose between their health and their right to vote," Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. "We don't know what challenges we will be facing in this pandemic this November, but by sending every voter a mail-in-ballot we can ensure that everyone can cast their ballot safely, no matter what the future holds."

The motion will be voted on Tuesday, Hahn said.

Several upcoming special elections in the Southland this May and June will consist only of mail-in ballots.

Earlier this month, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order that any local special elections that have been scheduled for May and June be all-mail ballot elections.

All this follows the controversy in Wisconsin which came to a head April 7 when thousands of voters were forced to go to the polls after both the Wisconsin Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court blocked an effort to extend the deadline for voters to submit absentee ballots.