All-mail election needs immediacy

If we can provide it, maybe we should return to polling place voting

Over the last few months, all eyes have been on Washington’s 16-year-old vote-by-mail system.

National media has been holding it up as an example of what should become the norm nationwide. But should it?

Yes, we have fastidious local election employees resolving problems. And yes, we have years of experience making vote-by-mail work. But the nation isn’t ready for all-mail elections, whether it’s our system or another state’s.

Simply put, voting by mail appears to erode confidence in the electoral system. Nationally, we’ve se...