Detroit reporter Corey Williams, part of AP’s state-based voting coverage, found that even as more states are promoting vote-by-mail during the coronavirus pandemic, the process is viewed skeptically by Black voters, one of the Democratic Party’s most important voting groups, because of historical disenfranchisement and distrust of government institutions. Williams found voters in Detroit and Atlanta who said they would rather stand in line for hours – and potentially risk getting the virus – just so they can submit their ballot personally and be assured it will be counted.
Victor Gibson poses for a photo in Detroit, July 9, 2020. Despite fears that the coronavirus pandemic will worsen, Gibson said he’s not planning to take advantage of Michigan’s expanded vote-by-mail system when he casts his ballot in November. The retired teacher from Detroit just isn't sure he can trust it, a concern shared by many Black voters across the U.S.
AP Photo / Corey Williams