This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. And even a week ago, local election offices were still trying to fill those requests. One voting option that's gaining popularity — and also attracting controversy — is the use of drop boxes, where voters can deposit their absentee ballots to be collected later by election officials. "I wanted to be sure that it was collected," Dandridge said of her ballot. The company says it's seen a bump in orders this year as absentee voting has expanded. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. Ballot boxes are under construction at Laserfab Inc.'s factory. DENISE MERRILL: There's a lot of confusion just at the moment about when the ballots got mailed, to whom, when they're going to arrive. It's going to be very tight, and the ballot boxes play an increasingly important role in all this because, you know, you shave off two, three, four, maybe five days from when you mail a ballot. It's a growing concern as the nation prepares for an unprecedented flood of absentee and mail-in voting in November amid funding cuts at the U.S. Still, Larry Olson of Laserfab, a company in Washington state that makes the boxes, says demand's definitely on the rise. Ballot drop boxes. They're also concerned that their mail-in ballots could be misplaced or delayed. The Postal Service is bracing for an avalanche of mail-in ballots amid the pandemic, elections experts say drop boxes can safely alleviate the strain on the mail system. Absentee ballots may be … Postal Service and election … hide caption. A poll worker wears personal protective equipment as she monitors a ballot drop box for mail-in ballots outside of a polling station during early voting in Miami Beach, Florida. He says there are multiple features to prevent tampering. FESSLER: And it's a growing concern as the U.S. prepares for a flood of absentee and mail-in voting in November. You can drop off your completed ballot at a drop box, early voting location or Election Day voting location in your county by 7 p.m. on Nov. 3. Your absentee ballot must be received by the Department of Registration & Elections by 7 p.m. on Election Day. “When they drop absentee ballots in the drop box before the deadline, they can be sure that their ballot was received by election officials. SAFE, SECURE, CONVENIENT Permanent Vote-by-Mail drop boxes are now available at both Supervisor of Elections office locations. Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett recently told a Senate committee his state doesn't allow drop boxes for fear voters might be pressured on how to vote. Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, told the Senate committee that drop boxes are an important and convenient option for voters — especially this year. "It's going to be very tight, and ballot boxes play an increasingly important role in all this because, you know, you shave off two, three, four, maybe five days from when you mail a ballot.". The Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign have even gone to court to try to block Pennsylvania from using such boxes in November, arguing they could increase the chances for fraud. In the last presidential election, about 16% of voters nationwide used drop boxes, but they were concentrated in states such as Washington, Oregon and Colorado, where almost all voters cast absentee ballots. They are also worried that mail-in ballots could be misplaced or delayed. Olson said he is confident that his company's containers are more secure than the average mailbox, noting that the steel boxes are designed to be both water- and tamper-proof. FESSLER: Instead, it was one of several hundred ballot drop boxes located across the state. They can ask you once you fill that ballot out, or they can not turn it in at all or you. Courtesy of Laserfab Inc. They note that drop boxes have been used in some states — such as Washington and Oregon — for years without problems. But the Trump campaign is … The Vote by Mail Ballot Drop Box program started in 2017 as an initiative to provide voters with a secure alternative option for returning their ballot. FESSLER: Drop box supporters dismiss such concerns as completely unfounded. "I took a couple orders today," he said, adding that he has about 100 more boxes to produce before November. The Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign have filed suit to block Pennsylvania from using such boxes in November, arguing they could increase the chances for fraud. (SOUNDBITE OF CASHMERE CAT SONG, "MIRROR MARU"). "They complement the limited postal [services] that are available in communities and are just critical to providing access this season," she said. So far this year, tens of thousands of primary ballots have been rejected around the country because they arrived too late. Reporter Eli Newman of NPR member station WDET contributed to this report. Depending on their location, ballot drop boxes are often monitored by surveillance cameras or election workers that work specified hours—offering a … "We believe it's a great security measure to have someone returning their own ballot by the United States Postal Service. Connecticut's using 200 new drop boxes in tomorrow's primary. Secretary of State Denise Merrill admitted the state was somewhat overwhelmed by a surge in requests for mail-in ballots. Kristen Clarke of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law told senators the boxes are an important and convenient option for voters. A ballot drop box made by Laserfab survived after an SUV plowed into it last year, the company says. So He Changed Course, 'It's Ridiculous': States Struggle To Accommodate Coronavirus Positive Voters. Sometimes the mail's delayed. Secretary of State Denise Merrill admits the state was somewhat overwhelmed by a surge in requests for mail-in ballots. A voter inserts a ballot in a drive-up drop box last week in Renton, Wash., in that state's primary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record. Look for the tent in the parking area. Any ballots retrieved from a drop box or drop-off location shall be processed in the same manner as vote-by-mail ballots personally delivered to the office of the county elections official by the voter, ballots returned to a polling location, and ballots received via the United States Postal Service or … But the boxes have also been controversial. hide caption. She said election offices were still trying to fill those requests a week before the election, leaving little time for voters to fill them in and send them back in the mail.
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