LOS ANGELES (AP) - All registered voters in Los Angeles County will be sent a vote-by-mail ballot starting with the November general election.
The count Board of Supervisors unanimously approved the proposal Tuesday due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic’s potential impact on the election.
“No one should have to choose between their health and their right to vote,” Supervisor Janice Hahn said in statement.
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LA County’s 5.5 million registered voters have previously had to request a mail-in ballot. The change does not eliminate in-person voting.
The county’s “Safer At Home” order is set to expire on May 15 but public health authorities say measures such as social distancing will be needed for a longer period of time, which could make it difficult to recruit election workers or impact the capacity of voting locations.
As of Tuesday, LA County had tallied nearly 21,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 1,000 deaths.
For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness and death.
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