Thanks to Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James, Dodger Stadium, and many NBA stadiums, will serve as election polling places for the first time in November. While LeBron shouldn’t have to protect voting rights, it’s about time sports stadiums serve as election polling places. All tax-funded stadiums should serve as election polling places because taxpayers paid to build them, and most aren’t being used on Election Day.
The amount of tax dollars used to fund sports stadiums is staggering. More staggering, however, is the fact that most days during the year, those stadiums aren’t being used. Target Field was built in Minneapolis with $350 million in county sales taxes, excluding interest. As a stadium designed for baseball only, the structure, even when hosting the occasional concert, or the NHL’s outdoor game next season, is empty more than 275 days each year. And the Minnesota Twins don’t play in November.
Actually, any business or nonprofit organization receiving a tax subsidy and able to allow voting to take place on their premises should serve as an election polling place. If a farm receives tax subsidies and has a barn that allows for voting in November, that farm should be an election polling place. Big oil and natural gas companies with land upon which tents can be erected in November should serve as election polling places. Bailed-out banks should be forced to close for business on Election Day, because it should be a national holiday, and because they should serve as election polling places.
Cuts to United States Postal Service funding despite some states expecting 10 times as many mail-in ballots during the 2020 Presidential Election because of the Coronavirus pandemic makes LeBron’s voting rights work particularly important this year. Metro areas where polling places have been cut by Republicans, like Phoenix and Atlanta, already require additional election assistance. The Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, and Detroit Pistons have all offered their NBA venues to serve as election polling places. More will surely follow these teams’ leads and offer their venues to LeBron’s More Than a Vote organization, formed to protect Black citizens’ voting rights.
Voting shouldn’t require Americans to take an entire day off from work to stand in line for hours. Election Day should be a holiday, and voting should be as easy as mailing a letter. At least in this pivotal year, players like LeBron James are leveraging their platforms to enact actual change that should have a lasting impact. LeBron is finally realizing that he can win a U.S. Presidential Election.
