Barbara Golden, Bainbridge Island

Kitsap Sun September 2, 2020

Like many other retirees, my husband and I moved to Washington State to be near our grandchildren. However, we quickly discovered the many other benefits of leaving our home state of Wisconsin behind and embracing our new home wholeheartedly.

We love and support the ability to vote by mail. When we get the ballot booklet, we take the time to discuss our choices with each other, to confer with trusted long-time residents, and to investigate the issues. Then we get our ballots. After filling them out, we drop them off at the post office or at one of the many ballot boxes.

For us, who had to stand in line in Wisconsin’s mostly inclement weather, often in the dark, this is more than convenient.

Voting by mail is not just a convenience for us elders, it is a voter-friendly method of encouraging more civic participation. Voting gives more of us a voice in choosing who represents us. As our country experiences more flux, the pandemic and the civil rights movement demand wider participation by all of us.

https://www.kitsapsun.com/story/opinion/readers/2020/09/02/washingtons-vote-mail-model/5693436002/