What's the deal with early voting?

I don't get it. Why is there early voting? When did this system start? On Facebook, several out-of-state friends posted that they voted today. In person, not by mail. What's the point of Election Day if you can vote several weeks early?

Early voting makes it easier for more people to vote. Election day on a weekday, on which most people have to work, makes it harder for some people to get the time to get to the polls. All things being equal, I prefer to go vote first thing in the morning on election day.

That being said, you can early vote in NJ right now using vote by mail, the absentee ballot method, if you're so inclined.

You don't have to take time off work (I'm voting on Saturday)

I know about the vote-by-mail thing and that you don't need to prove you'll be out of town, as was the case in the past. But in-person voting before election day? Polling places set up?

I think that election day should be a 24-hour period on the appointed day. Then everyone can vote on the day.

shoshannah said:

I think that election day should be a 24-hour period on the appointed day. Then everyone can vote on the day.

Why should the right to cast votes be restricted to one day?

It makes sense to make it a longer convenient period. "Election day" is just the last day you can cast your votes and is the day the vote counts get reported.

Most towns have just one early voting location. Mine is town hall. For the most part they're open 9-5 M-F. There are also two late (7PM) weeknights and two Saturdays.

because it keeps it fair. Things can happen along the way that can impact how people want to vote. I am in favor of all voting on one day only (absentee ballot and other special voting excluded, of course). With polls open from very early am to 9pm , there's really no reason most people can't make it happen on that day.

shoshannah said:

I know about the vote-by-mail thing and that you don't need to prove you'll be out of town, as was the case in the past. But in-person voting before election day? Polling places set up?

I think that election day should be a 24-hour period on the appointed day. Then everyone can vote on the day.

Why is it important that everyone votes on the same day?

conandrob240 said:

because it keeps it fair. Things can happen along the way that can impact how people want to vote. I am in favor of all voting on one day only (absentee ballot and other special voting excluded, of course). With polls open from very early am to 9pm , there's really no reason most people can't make it happen on that day.

This is the key word. Out of those most are the people who can least afford to be away from work. Our current system is rigged towards the well off leaving those who most need representation out in the cold. Make it a national paid holiday where it is illegal to open your businesses (some exceptions of course) and then the one day idea would be a fair proposal.

Election Day is the deadline for voting.

I wish it were a national holiday. In Puerto Rico, they have festivals in the streets on election day. That is both functional and a great way to have a good time and build community.

conandrob240 said:

because it keeps it fair. Things can happen along the way that can impact how people want to vote. I am in favor of all voting on one day only (absentee ballot and other special voting excluded, of course). With polls open from very early am to 9pm , there's really no reason most people can't make it happen on that day.

Yes, things can happen along the way to impact how you want to vote. But after you voted, you can't change your vote no matter what happens. This also applies to all who voted on the last voting day, with something possibly happening after that day causing some to want to change their votes.

So it really doesn't matter on what day you vote because the rule is consistent - after you vote you can't change your vote. People get hung up on the wordage "election day." What we have is an election period, an interval of weeks or days of voting, where the last day in that period is "election day."

Those who are concerned that something may happen, can wait until that last moment, the so-called "election day", and hope nothing happens after that. But that should not be used deprive those wanting to vote previous to that day.

There are also issues of people going away on vacation "election day" and overseas or not at-home military and business travel voters.

I went canvassing in Pennsylvania on Election Day in 2004 and 2008. A man came out of the polling place and said he had just voted for Bush and realized he should have voted for Kerry. I wanted to strangle him, but I was polite.

The problem with early voting is not that "something might happen" but that the campaign is still going on.

Election Day should be a two-day holiday, maybe a Sunday and Monday, with polls open from early morning to late night and with absentee ballots for those who are too ill to get to the polls or will be away.

People in NC are waiting two hours to vote. Today.

I don't think cutting the number of hours that polls are open by 90% is going to serve them well.

I think it was always possible to vote your absentee ballot in person instead of by mail, wasn't it? While I'm generally a fan of the USPS, I wouldn't be comfortable mailing in a vote.

Also, in our Wisconsin town, early "absentee" voting has made the bigger elections (president) a whole lot easier on everyone. No long waits for voters, and somewhat fewer poll workers are needed. The long long lines were a nuisance for many, a genuine hardship for some, and a deterrent for a few. In 2012, I think a quarter to a third of our voters here voted early. (and the poll workers were all finished and ready to take the ballots to town hall & go home by 10:30!)

LOST said:

The problem with early voting is not that "something might happen" but that the campaign is still going on.

Election Day should be a two-day holiday, maybe a Sunday and Monday, with polls open from early morning to late night and with absentee ballots for those who are too ill to get to the polls or will be away.

Same thing/same intent- "something might happen"= campaign still going on. Something in the campaign or the environment might change. You want to reduce all those potential variables.

Now, that I took that stand- it just comes up that both hubby and I now need to travel for work Nov.8-10. Tell me more about these early voting places. And does my vote "count" immediately or is it a pool of votes that they only go to if its a tie or close.

RobB said:

People in NC are waiting two hours to vote. Today.

I don't think cutting the number of hours that polls are open by 90% is going to serve them well.

I don't understand. Why this long line TODAY?

If you are going on vacation overseas or serving in the military, that's what an absentee ballot has always been for. These pre-election polling places for no apparent reason are what's different.

BG9 said:

conandrob240 said:

because it keeps it fair. Things can happen along the way that can impact how people want to vote. I am in favor of all voting on one day only (absentee ballot and other special voting excluded, of course). With polls open from very early am to 9pm , there's really no reason most people can't make it happen on that day.

Yes, things can happen along the way to impact how you want to vote. But after you voted, you can't change your vote no matter what happens. This also applies to all who voted on the last voting day, with something possibly happening after that day causing some to want to change their votes.

So it really doesn't matter on what day you vote because the rule is consistent - after you vote you can't change your vote. People get hung up on the wordage "election day." What we have is an election period, an interval of weeks or days of voting, where the last day in that period is "election day."

Those who are concerned that something may happen, can wait until that last moment, the so-called "election day", and hope nothing happens after that. But that should not be used deprive those wanting to vote previous to that day.

There are also issues of people going away on vacation "election day" and overseas or not at-home military and business travel voters.

conandrob240 said:

RobB said:

People in NC are waiting two hours to vote. Today.

I don't think cutting the number of hours that polls are open by 90% is going to serve them well.

I don't understand. Why this long line TODAY?

NC has very contentious state elections this year. A couple interesting tweets from Nate Cohn:

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Trump has a 5 pt lead among voters who have returned NC absentee ballots, according to our estimates. Romney won the NC absentee vote by 33

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The first day of in-person early voting in North Carolina:
Dem 52.7, Rep 24.3
White 67, Black 27.8
Female 55.1, Male 43.5

So I always thought that absentee ballots only get counted if it's close? True or not?

I LOVE voting. I love going to the polling place, I love signing my name, i love pulling the lever (our pushing the buttons), I love the satisfaction of pulling the curtain open and knowing that I could make a difference. I just can't imagine voting by mail.

conandrob240 said:

If you are going on vacation overseas or serving in the military, that's what an absentee ballot has always been for. These pre-election polling places for no apparent reason are what's different.

Absentee ballots can vote early. No one agonizes when they vote early, before the campaigns are closed or if something changes after they vote.

If absentee ballots can be voted before election day, why not others? The election voting period used to be during part of one day, election day. There's nothing magical about that. Many jurisdictions have extended to multiple days, with election day now being the cutoff date.

When did this all start, though? Most of my life you voted on election day except if you voted by absentee ballot. I started noticing the early in-person voting about two election cycles ago. I'm wondering if a law was passed that enabled this.

just to add a different perspective, my daughter who is too anxious to go to a polling place can vote by mail. Unfortunately she had to fill out an application to do this. I hope we can get whatever the next form is so she gets her vote in. I guess it's a good thing high anxiety people can vote. Same for people with mobility problems.

I believe that absentee ballots are counted in all cases whether the vote is close or not. It's a "real" vote just like an in person vote.

I do not understand why there should be long lines to vote anywhere. I have been voting for 50 years and have never stood on line for more than 15 minutes.

LOST said:

I do not understand why there should be long lines to vote anywhere. I have been voting for 50 years and have never stood on line for more than 15 minutes.

Because you have lived in progressive, enlightened states? If you lived in an area of Georgia that had a high concentration of African Americans, you'd wait four hours. You might decide not to vote because you'd have to miss a day of work. Score one for the Georgia GOP.