I did not vote despite attending the Republican caucus. I am profoundly disappointed that voting by mail is not an option.
After work, I took my baby girl to our “neighborhood caucus” (which was actually in a different city) by myself because my husband was out of town. I was among the first people in line. However, the voter website crashed because so many people were trying to access it. I spent over an hour trying to access the website and asking different volunteers for help. Of note, I didn’t see any other parents with young children among the hundreds of voters present. Eventually, my child began to cry because it was past her bedtime. I left frustrated, my crying baby in tow, without casting my vote. Barriers making voting accessible only through a poorly organized caucus prevented me from voting.
While filling out an absentee ballot is an option, it presents several more hurdles than simply voting by mail. I had not planned on filling out an absentee ballot because I attended the caucus in person. However, I was still disenfranchised.
Voting by mail should be an option in all parties. Citizens deserve better voting accessibility.
Andelin Cardon
Salt Lake City