When to cast your vote risks death

From the frontlines, Molly McGrath, a voting rights attorney who organizes to let people vote.

The voting tragedy here in Wisconsin is unjust, but my anger has turned into profound sadness that our institutions have failed us so spectacularly. More than ever, all we can do is keep fighting for voters. These are not hypotheticals. These are voters with rights. Here's a few:

An 87-year-old WWII vet named Charles. He tried to request an absentee ballot, but was not able to upload his photo ID, as required by Wisconsin law. He never received his ballot. With no choice, he now plans to vote in person Tuesday.

Just 57% of absentee ballots requested by voters have returned to clerks. Many voters have not even received theirs yet, like my brother and his wife, both under 50. I made them promise not to risk their health and vote in person, even if they don’t get their ballots tomorrow.

Herb, a man who lives alone, has no one to sign as a witness on his absentee ballot. He doesn’t want to leave his house and has no one coming over. In Dane County alone, 70 volunteers w/@WiscVoterID went to homes to try to be witnesses--in a safe way--over the last weeks. Unreal.

I have multiple messages from folks under 30 who planned to be poll workers, but are so afraid of getting sick that they are terrified tonight. But they feel like they especially need to show up, to replace older poll workers who may also be assigned to their polling location.

This fight for voting rights won’t be easy. But we can’t give up. If you have an absentee ballot, get it in Tuesday. If you don’t, and you are in WI or some place else, mourn this injustice, then prepare to fight. Our democracy needs you.

So many are so brave.