As a young political activist, my 18th birthday was monumental because I would be able vote. However, I turned 18 on Nov. 24, 2016, and missed the opportunity that year to participate in one of the most significant and historical presidential elections that will happen in my lifetime.

I have participated in every election since I gained the right to vote. But I fear that I will miss another chance to participate in a monumental election that will shape my generation’s political, economic and social future.

As COVID-19 cases rise across the country, many states have yet to implement options for voters to safely cast their ballot during the pandemic.

In early March, the Virginia General Assembly passed a law allowing no-excuse absentee voting. Now, so long as a registered voter requests an absentee ballot, he or she can vote.

Though no-excuse voting is a move in the right direction, Virginians have to step up to ensure that voters across the United States have access to a similarly safe voting option.

Funding from the proposed federal HEROES Act would allow states across the country to expand online voter registration options, extend early voting periods to prevent crowded polling places, establish safe and sanitized in-person polling places that adhere to CDC guidelines and increase absentee ballots.

Even Virginia’s existing voting systems are not enough to protect voters’ rights and health, which makes the passage of the HEROES Act even more imperative. Expanded federal funding for election security measures is necessary to protect voters who need in-person voting options, including people without mail access, those who need assistance voting in their primary language, many Native Americans living on reservations and people with disabilities.

Virginia needs additional funding to invest in supplies and resources that will ensure that those who vote in person can do so safely.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Infection has advised that poll workers regularly clean frequently touched surfaces, wash hands frequently and disinfect voting machines and other equipment. Funds are needed to provide PPE, hand sanitizer, soap and masks for poll workers, as well as disposable pens to mark paper ballots.

The federal government is obligated to ensure that voters are not disenfranchised from voting during the pandemic. Congress needs to step up and allocate the necessary funding to secure our vote.

The U.S. House of Representatives already has passed the HEROES Act. Now the U.S. Senate needs to act fast. State officials need sufficient time to make necessary purchases and put systems in place before November.

If the HEROES Act is not passed in the U.S. Senate, Virginians will remember our leaders’ failure to secure our right to vote.

SARAH LIM

Powhatan