The Vermont Senate has given preliminary approval to a measure that would permanently allow mail-in voting.
In 2020 the Vermont Secretary of State mailed ballots to all registered voters due to the pandemic.
In the November general election 73% of those eligible voted, and of those 75% used the absentee mail ballots. The Senate bill makes permanent the provision allowing the Secretary of State to mail ballots to all active voters during general elections.
Republican Governor Phil Scott likes the idea. “My only concern is if we’re going to do it for the general election, why not the other elections that we have? I would only ask that it get expanded like Town Meeting Day for instance.”
The state Senate must pass the measure a second time before it moves to the House for consideration.