Scanlon, Escobar, Garcia Introduce Dropbox Access Act to Improve Voting Accessibility in Future Elections

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congresswomen Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), and Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) introduced the Dropbox Access Act to improve voters access to dropbox locations in future elections.

The Dropbox Access Act would prevent states from unfairly limiting voters’ access to dropboxes by requiring that counties provide, at a minimum, one dropbox per 15,000 voting age residents. Based on recommendations made by Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Elections Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council, this requirement would ensure adequate access to the ballot box for all individuals voting-by-mail.

“We have an obligation to do everything in our power to remove barriers to the ballot box so that all eligible voters can make their voices heard,” Congresswoman Scanlon said. “Dropboxes provide a safe and secure option to return mail-in ballots and efforts to undermine this process are just the latest example of voter suppression. The Dropbox Access Act will prevent these tactics from occurring in the future, while expanding access to the ballot box, safely and securely, to every eligible voter.”

“Ensuring that all Americans — especially those who have been historically disenfranchised — can exercise their right to vote is critical for our future elections and democracy,” said Congresswoman Escobar. “The Dropbox Access Act will guarantee adequate and safe voting drop off locations in each county to give eligible voters equal access to the ballot box. We will not let the voter suppression tactics seen in places like Texas stand ever again.”

“As elected officials, we must fight all forms of voter suppression and must work to make voting as easy and convenient as possible, said Congresswoman Garcia. “This is why I am proud to join my colleagues as an original cosponsor of the Dropbox Access Act, a bill that will stop Republican attempts to suppress the vote. This common-sense solution will ensure that voters have fair access to absentee ballot drop-off sites for federal elections.”

Additionally, the Dropbox Access Act would require that drop boxes are:

• Accessible to individuals with disabilities
• Available beginning 45 days before the election and running through election day
• Placed in a non-discriminatory fashion and in locations which maximize accessibility
• Accessible by public transit
• Available on tribal lands
• Distributed based on density to accommodate rural, suburban, and urban parts of counties

A copy of this legislation can be found here: https://scanlon.house.gov/UploadedFiles/Dropbox_Access_Act_of_2020.pdf