If Democrats are worried about pitting states against one another over ventilators and N95 masks, they ought to abandon the push for a quick, national switch to vote-by-mail elections for 2020, lest ballots become as scarce as masks and ventilators.

As states examine this possibility and Congress considers nudging them along (or even forcing participation in statewide vote-by-mail), there are two angles to consider: the merit of vote-by-mail systems and speedy implementation to address COVID-19 fears.