To the editor:

The emergency voting mandate developed for the 2020 election provided many options that made voting easier for citizens and resulted in higher voter turnout, with no evidence of fraud. It is time to make those changes permanent. 

Portsmouth had a special election in 2021 for two bond issues. Many people did not realize that the changes in the 2020 voting mandate had expired until their mail-in ballots were returned to them because they failed to obtain the required notary or two witness signatures that were not required in 2020. Their ballots could not be counted until they had the required signatures, or voted in person.

Two voting bills that would make permanent the changes in voting that made the 2020 election so successful (H-7100 and S-2007) are now in discussion in the state legislature.

Please contact your legislators urging them to pass these two important bills.

• Sen. Seveney: sen-seveney@rilegislature.gov

• Rep. Cortvriend: rep-cortvriend@rilegislature.gov

• Rep. Donovan: rep-donovan@rilegislature.gov

• Rep. McGaw: rep-mcgaw@rilegislature.gov

Jill Kassis

President, League of Women Voters of Newport County