Michelle Obama pushes for vote-by-mail and early voting options amidst the coronavirus pandemic

Former first lady Michelle Obama is now throwing her support behind Democratic legislation that would give voters access to early voting and mail-in voting options. With the coronavirus still spreading across the country, these options are among the safest options for voters so they can continue to exercise their rights without potentially exposing themselves to the pathogen.

“Americans should never have to choose between making their voices heard and keeping themselves and their families safe,” Michelle Obama said in a statement, according to CNN. “Expanding access to vote-by-mail, online voter registration and early voting are critical steps for this moment -- and they're long overdue.”

The U.S. is in the midst of a health crisis as tens of thousands of new COVID-19 cases are reported each day. The country has the highest number of coronavirus cases in the world with over 560,000 confirmed infections as of April 13, according to Worldometers.

To protect voters from the risk of contracting the virus, Democrats have been pushing to expand early and mail-in voting options. These practices would also be in line with the social distancing practice encouraged by health experts in an effort to flatten the coronavirus growth curve.

However, some Republicans remain opposed to expanding the practice. President Donald Trump “has repeatedly dismissed the notion of a nationwide vote-by-mail system” over fears that the practice might be exploited and would be the “source of widespread voter fraud.”

Michelle Obama released her statement via the nonpartisan organization she co-chairs called When We All Vote. The former FLOTUS argued that “there is nothing partisan about striving to live up to the promise of our country; making the democracy we all cherish more accessible; and protecting our neighbors, friends and loved ones as they participate in this cornerstone of American life.”

Earlier, Michelle Obama criticized Wisconsin’s decision to push for in-person voting to commence for the state’s Democratic primary. “Today, Wisconsin voters had to choose between making their voice heard and keeping themselves and their family safe. No American should ever have to make that choice,” the former FLOTUS tweeted on April 8. “We must do better to ensure voting is safe for all voters. The latest Wisconsin voting information is below.”