On Monday, Michelle Obama and Tom Hanks held a virtual event to push for mail-in voting during the upcoming November elections.
The event was organized by When We All Vote. It is a self-identified bipartisan organization that is led by former Obama administration officials. The goal? To give every American a chance to vote.
Officials on the board include Tina Tchen, a former chief of staff to Michelle Obama, Valerie Jarrett, a former White House senior advisor, and Kyle Lierman, a former policy adviser in the White House Office of Public Engagement.
During the virtual “couch party,” Michelle Obama made it clear that she wants to make sure “every single American can cast their vote and make their voice heard in this upcoming election.”
Michelle used the Wisconsin primaries as an example. Residents flocked to cast their votes while wearing face masks and waiting in long lines.
“I don’t think you need me to tell you that this work is more urgent than ever before,” Michelle said to viewers.
“No one should have to choose between casting their ballot and keeping themselves and their families and their communities safe,” she said.
Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, showed their support in the voting by mail movement. Hanks and Wilson recently made headlines after testing positive for, and defeating coronavirus.
“I want to vote no matter where I am,” said Hanks. “I have Diabetes, type 2, I still want to be able to vote.”
Wilson agreed, adding that she believes mail-in voting is “a great compromise” and that “we as Americans and as voters should be able to request the options that work for us.”
As the 2020 Presidential election looms ahead, mail-in voting has been largely discussed. Officials would mail a ballot to every eligible voter in a vote-by-mail system.
Mail-in voting could help encourage more people to vote who would otherwise not take part in elections. It could also help those who have serious health issues, such as the potential for a stroke triggered by AFib, to safely vote during the coronavirus pandemic.
There are already five states that conduct all of their elections by mail. This includes Hawaii, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, and Washington.
However, President Donald Trump has been very vocal about his opposition to mail-in voting. He claims that “Democrats are clamoring for it.”
“Tremendous potential for voter fraud, and for whatever reason, doesn’t work out well for Republicans,” Trump tweeted earlier this month.
However, there is no evidence of mail-in voting causing voter fraud. In a now-disbanded voting integrity commission that was launched by the Trump administration, there was no evidence uncovered that supported claims of widespread voter fraud.
