How COVID-19 affects the election

With Election Day on Nov. 3, those who are eligible to vote are making sure that they get their ballots in. Whether it’s by mail, or by finding their local polling place, more people than ever before are voting, one of the reasons for this being COVID-19.

COVID has affected the US in numerous ways. The economy, how we perceive social issues, and how we act in our day to day lives are among a few examples of this. Everyone has interpreted the circumstances that COVID has presented differently, causing the nation to split in who they believe is the best choice for the next four years. While the issue of the pandemic isn’t the only reason one may vote for a certain candidate, it definitely plays a big role in the outcome of the election.

While the matter of which candidate is best is an effect of COVID, another effect would be how it impacts the actual process of voting. With social distancing, social isolation, and masks still heavily encouraged, more people are choosing to vote by mail to avoid the closeness of polling places. 

There are numerous pros and cons to mail in voting, pros being that there’s a small increase in voter turnout and voters can contemplate their choice more. On the con side however, ballots need to be sent in by a certain date to be counted, and more things can go wrong such a delays in the postal service possibly inhibiting ballots getting received on time. 

The pandemic is going to influence this election greatly. While ultimately it’s the people who decide, COVID is a huge factor that most will take into account when deciding who they’ll mark down on this year’s ballot.