Critical Analysis

1. What percent of votes in the 2018 midterm election were cast by mail/absentee?

2. What percent of votes in the 2020 were cast by mail/absentee?

3. Based on the data in the chart above, describe one trend in voting by mail (VBM).

4. Why do you think that is?

5. Increased early in person voting and mail/absentee voting has led pundits to conclude that we no longer have an election day, but instead have an election week. What is one consequence of this change?

6. Five states do ALL their voting by mail. Which states do you think they are and why do you think they do all mail voting?*

7. Based on recent trends, what do you think the percent of mail/absentee voting will be in the 2022 election?

8. What does the map below* illustrate about federalism and elections?*

9. Explain whether voting by mail is less or more subject to fraud than traditional voting?

10. How do you think voting by mail impacts voter turnout?

Learning Extension

Read the MIT Voting Election Data Science Lab report on voting by mail.

Action Extension

Learn about the voting guidelines in your state and how you can request an absentee ballot.

Visual Extension*