Last weekend, we passed a milestone moment in the 2020 election cycle: We are now less than 100 days away from Tuesday, November 3 — Election Day. In normal years, this would be the time when the general public really starts tuning in to the messages both parties are running with, familiarizing themselves with the candidates, and deciding who gets their vote.
But just as it has with every other aspect of our lives, the coronavirus pandemic has thrown everything we know about politics into disarray. It’s possible that voters, already familiar with Biden from his years as Obama’s vice president and well aware of President Trump’s COVID-19 response, have already made up their minds. Or it’s equally possible that the electorate will be rocked by a series of surprises that will change the foundations of the race between now and November.
Two things we do know for sure as we head into the home stretch of this never-ending presidential campaign season: first, people need to vote on Election Day; and second, coronavirus won’t disappear between now and then. Just as an economy is stronger when more people participate in it, a democracy is stronger when more people’s voices are heard. So how can we ensure that the people are heard, at a time when simply going into a busy public space is dangerous?
