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Subscribe to RSSMove over Election Day, make way for Election Month. (Full story here.) Voters across the nation will cast their votes for federal, state and local offices on Nov. 2. But in Iowa, they began voting two weeks ago and can take advantage of early participation through Oct. 30.
In Ohio, voters started casting ballots last Tuesday, and early voting runs until Nov. 1. Californians can vote by mail and counties begin mailing ballots out Monday. In West Virginia, where a suddenly competitive U.S. Senate race has emerged, the conservative group American Crossroads announced last week it's working to deliver absentee ballot mailers and make early voting notifications in that state. Early voting begins there on Oct. 13. By the end of this week, voters in ten states will have started casting ballots. In all, 36 states and the District of Columbia have adopted some form of pre-Election Day voting. ...
According to the Early Voting Information Center at Reed College in Portland, Ore., about one-fifth of the electorate voted early in 2004, one-quarter did in 2006, and one-third in 2008.
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I'm assuming you are referring to absentee ballots- that is, ballots for those who are serving in the military, planning to be out of town, or who are disabled, and unable to get to the polls.
In New Jersey, those ballots are not even opened, unless they can effect the outcome of the race. For example, if the margin of victory is 1999 votes, and there are 2000 absentee ballots, they are opened and counted. Otherwise, they are not even opened. I'm not advocating anyone not vote by absentee, but I have always been struck by the unfairness of this system.
I would say New Jersey needs to move into the 21st century, change its rules and start counting the absentee ballots. All they have to do is open them when the polls close.
In Ohio no one needs a reason to vote absentee. In fact the Board of Elections sends out “Request for an Absentee ballot” to all registered voters. They are expecting as many as 20% of voters to vote either early (Polls are open now – daily and Saturdays at the Board of Election in every county) or by Absentee. Must be post marked by November 1st.
Interesting, Dennis. I only hope there are adequate systems in place to control any attempt at fraud.
I would love to see better voter participation, but not at the risk of the kind of fraud that threat s our very system of government. Vote early, vote often is no joke.
Oh, good grief NJNB. There are systems in place. You cannot get more than one vote in Iowa and if you vote absentee, your name is shown at your polling place as already having cast a ballot. It is not an unfair system, it is perfectly legal and in Iowa you never needed a reason to vote absentee and now to vote early. The ballots are locked up at the Court House until the polls close.
In California one can vote early by absentee ballot or simply vote by mail. They cout ALL ballots and compare the absentees with the live polls where one must sign the book when they report to vote. One must also sign the by mail ballot. They are locked up until time to count ballots at the end of the election. The counting is open to anyone who wants to observe it and if there is any impropriety it is noted and ballots disqualified. Why is it the losers claim unfair or seem to think there is some sort of cheating until their side wins and then every vote was correctly counted. I have news, it doesn't matter who won it is all done the same way. And no, ACORN does not register people to vote. It gives them the opportunity to register and ACORN workers get only one vote just like the rest of us. I'll bet if there was some uber rightwing organization registering people to vote these same people wouldn't say a word about anything they do legally or illegally. Hypocrisy anyone?
NoJoe - Jody is correct on this one. I know for a fact that in Tennessee Voter fraud is almost next to impossible. I serve on my county's election commission and we examine each and every new voter registration and varify it before the election. If we find an error we report it to the state election commission. Our absentee ballots are locked up in the election commission administrators office and counted before the other polls are counted. There are so many checks and balances in place that when I hear someone scream voter fraud I know they are extremely ignorant or they are poor losers.
Iowa has early voting which is similar to absentee. There are several polling sites open in my town open during different hours. Rules vary in states but here these votes ARE counted election night and not just in the event of close races. They begin counting these votes the minute the polls close. I have had applications for early voting left at my door, telephone calls asking if I am interested. Democrats have been very active in this effort for at least 6 years.
I see this as the future of voting. If we want more citizens to participate, then it must be more convenient and encompass more than one day. Not sure if it is Washington or Oregon but one of those states--every registered voter receives a ballot in the mail; there are sites everywhere for the ballots to be dropped into locked containers. It just makes sense.
I was outside and just read Christine O'Donnell's latest wild hair. Really, does this woman honestly believe she would be "privy" to highly classified information; and she really can't discuss details because.... I can just see McConnell and Boehner's eyes rolling! Even they have to recognize whack-o when they hear it or see it. O'Donnell is probably a nice person but I have known some nice people who were a brick short.
All voting in Oregon is by mail.
As we are aware, Tea bagers have been having a number of bus tours, travelling from state to state to register as voters in those states with a motive of voting out those who they do not like in those states.
Americans witness massive rigging in the year 2000 and are not ready for it again. All possible loopholes must be blocked for the election to be seen to be free and fair.