Toward a Better Understanding of Mail Balloting: The Case of U.S. Labor Union-Representation Elections

The issue of how people vote in elections is important and timely. This Article examines this issue from the perspective of whether people vote by mail-i.e., mail balloting-or in person on a designated election day- i.e., in-person voting. It explores the pros and cons of mail balloting versus in-person voting from a general political perspective and in the context of elections for labor union representation in the United States. It presents heretofore unreported data on the use of mail balloting in union-representation elections. It then draws lessons from these data concerning how mail balloting-which has increased in use since the COVID-19 pandemic-potentially impacts, among other things, voter participation rates, election integrity, and election outcomes.