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Subscribe to RSSElection Day may be Nov. 6th, but with President Obama grabbing a lead nationally and in key swing states, Americans are already starting to vote.
Idaho, South Dakota, and the crucial swing state of Virginia are the first states to begin early, in-person voting today.
Also today, absentee voting begins in Minnesota, West Virginia, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Georgia, Arkansas, Idaho, and Maryland, bringing the total number of states already accepting ballots to 13. Twelve others -- South Carolina, New Jersey, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Delaware, Louisiana, and Missouri -- will begin absentee or early voting Saturday.
That means, by tomorrow, half the country will be casting votes. By the end of the month, voters in 30 states will be voting already.
More than one-in-three voters – more than 46 million people -- is expected to vote early in 2012 in some form, either in person, by mail, or absentee, according to Dr. Michael McDonald, a professor at George Mason University who studies voter behavior.
“Once you turn up the faucet on early voting, you keep turning it up until it’s all the way open,” said McDonald, who predicts that 35 percent will vote early this year.
Early voting participation has been on the rise in recent election cycles, hitting an all-time high in 2008, when an estimated 30 percent voted early in the presidential election. That was up significantly from 2004, when slightly more than 20 percent cast their ballots ahead of Election Day.
Early voting can, and often does, mean different things in different states.
In 32 states and Washington, D.C., voters can cast their ballots early, in person without any excuse or reason, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In 21 states, like Virginia, voters can vote absentee, but an excuse is required. Some of the acceptable excuses listed on the Virginia absentee ballot application include commuting for 11 or more hours between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Election Day, being away from home due to personal or business travel, or being a student.
States like Connecticut and New Hampshire do not have early, in-person voting, but do allow voters to return their absentee ballots in person to election officials.
Oregon and Washington State are exclusively vote-by-mail. In 2008, 100 percent of Oregon voters voted by mail or dropped their ballots in boxes at designated locations on Election Day. Washington has been adopting vote-by-mail, county-by-county since 1994, but, in 2011, it went completely by mail.
Colorado has also been moving to vote-by-mail, and, in 2008, four-in-five Coloradans voted that way.
Controversial changes in Florida and Ohio
Early voting laws in several states have also changed in the past four years – and not without controversy, particularly in Florida and Ohio.
In Florida, a state where half of its voters voted early in 2008, the number of days for early, in-person voting has been reduced from 14 to eight (HB 1355) – and voting on the Sunday before the election was eliminated.
Republicans control the governorship and the state legislature, and Democrats have cried foul, especially about the elimination of the Sunday voting. Black churches in particular have made it a point of mobilizing on that day in what’s known as “Souls to the Polls.”
Five of Florida’s 67 counties fall under a national voter-rights law that mandates approval of any changes to election laws by the Department of Justice because of a history of racial discrimination.
The Justice Department approved the measure on the condition that the state keep the early, in-person polling centers in those counties open 12 hours each day, which is the maximum allowed by the state’s constitution.
In July, the Obama campaign filed a lawsuit against Ohio Secretary of State John Husted regarding changes in the state’s early, in-person voting policies.
Legislation, passed in 2011 (HB 194) by a GOP-controlled legislature and signed by a Republican governor, shortened the early, in-person voting period from beginning 35 days before the election to starting 21 days prior.
The legislation also included a provision ending early, in-person voting three days prior to the election for everyone except members of the military. Pressure from local voter’s rights coalitions prompted the legislature to repeal parts of its new voting laws. Senate Bill 295 was passed to repeal specific parts of HB 194, but left intact the provision ending early in-person voting three days prior to the start of the election for everyone except members of the military.
The Obama campaign argued this new law was unfair and violated the equal-protection clause of the constitution. A federal court agreed and ordered the state to restore the three days of early, in-person voting for all voters.
In 2008, Democrats dominated early voting. This time around, McDonald said, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's campaign and Republicans are making a concerted effort to mobilize early voters as well.
“2012 is not going to be 2008,” McDonald said, “so we should expect to see more parity among partisan profiles of early voters.”
Here’s the full calendar of when voting starts in each state:
September:
Sept. 6: North Carolina: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Sept. 17:
Kentucky: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Indiana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Sept. 20:
Wisconsin: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Sept. 21:
West Virginia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oklahoma: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
South Dakota: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Georgia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Arkansas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Idaho: Absentee, ends Nov. 2
Maryland: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Minnesota: Absentee begins
Sept. 22:
South Carolina: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Jersey: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Maine: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Michigan: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Mississippi: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Hampshire: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Tennessee: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Texas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Vermont: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Delaware: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Virginia: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Louisiana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Missouri: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Sept. 27:
Alabama: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Wyoming: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
North Dakota: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Iowa: Absentee, ends Nov. 5; Early in-person, ends Nov.5
Illinois: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
October
Oct. 1:
Washington, DC: Absentee, ends Nov 6
Nebraska: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
October 2:
New York: Absentee, ends Nov. 5
Ohio: Absentee, ends Nov. 5; Early in-person, ends Nov. 2* (Secretary of State's website still lists ending Nov. 2, but the court decision would indicate that it would be extended through Election Day.)
Florida: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oct. 5:
Connecticut: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oct. 8:
California: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov.5
Oct. 9:
Indiana: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Rhode Island: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
New Mexico: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Montana: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Utah: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oct. 11: Arizona: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Oct. 12: Alaska: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oct. 15:
Colorado: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Georgia: Early in-person, ends Nov.2
Oct. 16:
Massachusetts: Absentee; ends Nov. 6
Oct. 17:
Kansas: Absentee, ends Nov. 6; Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Nevada: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Hawaii: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Tennessee: Early in-person, ends Nov.1
Oct. 18: North Carolina: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
Oct. 19:
Oregon: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Washington: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oct. 20:
Nevada: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
New Mexico: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
Oct. 22:
Alaska: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Arkansas: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Illinois: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
North Dakota: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
Colorado: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Washington D.C.: Early in-person, Nov. 3
Texas: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Wisconsin: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Oct. 23:
Utah: Early in-person, ends Nov. 2
Hawaii: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
Louisiana: Early in-person, ends Nov. 30
Pennsylvania: Absentee, ends Nov. 6
Oct. 24:
West Virginia: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
Oct. 27:
Maryland: Early in-person, ends Nov. 1
Florida: Early in-person, ends Nov. 3
November
Nov. 2:
Oklahoma: Early in-person, ends Nov. 5
SOURCE: Early Voting Information Center at Reed College
Leave a Comment:
Ladies If you live in a State with new voting laws you may not be able to vote if name/address changed because of divorce or marriage. This is part of new PA. voter law really hard for women to vote.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46979745/#49130346
Remember the Democrat motto: Vote early and vote often
Remember the GOP motto: Don't think, don't know, don't care.
Do you use your head for more than a hat rack
This is so wrong, all voting should be done on the same day as there as so many small minded people that will be influenced and vote wrong,, and all states should be like Washington state and have mail in voting,,it makes it easier for all. common sense is long gone
Why is there 'early voting'? Why doesn't everyone vote on the same date?
Good guyyy,
Please, tell me more about how you are tolerant of other people's beliefs and religions.
In some areas there are so many voters they all cannot vote at one time. Each year more and voters are turned away that has been standing in lines for hours because the poll closes more polling stations could be helpful but then they complain about the cost and lack of volunteers to help. I agree there needs to be a better way for all to vote. Early voting has helped to a point but even with this there have been issues of concern lost ballots etc. absentee voting works also to a point.
Why is there 'early voting'? Why doesn't everyone vote on the same date?
Because not everybody can vote on the same day.
This election if a racket and now costing 25% more than last time. America, wake up no matter what party you are with, our democracy is not for sale. Demand this money out of politics a third party. The most influence we have is by who we vote for locally and at state level. The Congress and Presidential elections do not have as much of importance to you. The fact is corporations own them and a fact of life. Have you had enough yet?
Don't forget, Libbies!
Vote early and vote often!
Even if you hate minorities, even if you don't need healthcare, even if you don't have daughters, and concerned about them being able to make their own choices when it comes to their bodies, in the future, and you don't mind the changing of the voter ID laws, I still can not grasp the concept of any sane person (not in the 1%, or rich) that would vote for this unpredictable, most reversible, unreliable, out and out bald face liar of a man, just based on his running a vulture capitalist entity, that shut down jobs and out sourced them to China. But not even that is what shocks me. It's what he's going to do for the common man and their family. Why would you vote for this guy and he favors only the rich? Be careful what you wish for! He's not even diplomatic. Other countries don't even like this stuffed shirt. Shocked, he gets votes from the middle class or poor. He doesn't give a damn about your ass, only your vote!
Resdistribution of wealth. Solyndra. Failed $800 trillion stimulus. Over 8% unemployment for the longest consecutive period in history. National dept above $16 trillion with NO THOUGHT GIVEN by this administration on how to cut spending. Fast & Furious. Lies about the terrorist act that killed the ambassador. Ft Hood classified as "workplace violence". Use of "Man caused disasters" instead of "terrorism" when descibing world events. "Pssst..hey Putin - don't worry about that whole arms thing - I'll have more flexibility once I am re-elected". Kathleen Sebeilius found to have violated the Hatch Act. "Put ya'll back in chains"...
Do you need more cause I could type all day about Obama's failures
Since all this voting is taking place right now' its too late for Teapublicans to turn it around now' their only recourse now is the vote tampering with absent tee ballots and their voter supression.What a desperate bunch of thieves.
it will be the workers VS the government program recipients. Currently there are less employed than employed. The government will just have to print more money to appease it's believers. Just like any third world socialist country. Obama rebuilding America to the ground.
And NBC is helping him do it. Guess if you have a cushy "journalism" job, you don't really have to consider what happens when the takers outnumber the taken from.
What...one man is ruining this country? Really? What about the 435 people in Congress? What about each state...don't they have governors and hundreds of polticians? Sorry, but we have millions of voters.....they are ruining this country with the people they are putting in office all over the country and it is not just one man.
What's going on in this Country? Why would anyone want to vote before the debates? Are people so irresposible and lazy that they don't really care? This Country is going down the toilet and I want some answers before I vote. I guess if your too busy watching Jerry Springer, Ellen or Oprah, being informed and caring about the future of th U.s. is secondary. Pathetic.
To those who have been paying attention all along Dave, the choice is obvious, has been for some time now.
I’m an election judge in Missouri, the county of Jackson.
I, along with my fellow election judges, get out of bed on election day at approx. 4:00 AM, in order to arrive at the polls by 5:00 AM, have them set up and open at 6:00 AM, as prescribed by state law.
Polls close at 7 PM, ballots are counted, and equipment re-packed. Many elections, we do not arrive back home until 9 or 10 PM.
Now, you’re telling me that some whiners in the electorate can’t manage to plan months or a year in advance in order to take the time to vote on ONE DAY for an election??!
I have no sympathy, and those folks are a pathetic excuse for a citizen.
Do not know about your area but, In some areas there are so many voters they all cannot vote at one time. Each year more and voters are turned away that has been standing in lines for hours because the poll closes more polling stations could be helpful but then they complain about the cost and lack of volunteers to help.
You have my sympathy....for having to live in Missouri!!
We should all be permitted early voting or mail ballot. Or do it like in Europe, voting on Sat and Sun, when people have time to wait in line and are under no pressure. But then maybe the USA wants voters to give up waiting in lines and go home or not be able to get to a polling place to begin with. Or better yet, get to the polling place and not be able to vote at all!! The Repubs would sure like it that way!! The old way worked ok for them when Bush was elected x2, though, didn't they....no voter fraud then, was there!!! The Repubs have a flip-flop for any situation, any issue, any time!!
I sue hope people are thinking not just of the Presidential race but the state and local government. My state is getting to be more extreme and out of touch with the needs of its citizens. My state is ranked #3 in welfare receipents but no one talks about it. Welfare is bad, but what here? It is time that state and local communities realize it is their responsiblity (not the federal government ) to attract businesses so that their people can get employment. Communities need to say what skills and education do we have that will bring a business here. What products can we produce that people want? There is too much corruption and mismanagement at the state and local level for many communities to survive. So when you vote think of these people as well as your Congressman who has done little to keep this country of ours working or just functioning.
MPEACH OBAMA !!
Who is Obama's REAL father?.................................Who is the REAL Obama?
Why has Obama failed to show his Real birth certificate? Who has been financing Obama? Why
hasn't he made his college transcripts public? Why does he want you to vote before this
information is acknowledged by the public?
www.ourcommunistcommanderinchief.com...........................Copy and Paste.......Watch
A full length movie with the TRUE facts. Watch before Obama has it banned from the public.
n a funny way, i do hope obozo gets reelected by you ignorant fools.
when he taxes the one percent and lowers the debt for 12 hours you are next
and your kids will think you were the stupidest people on the planet, destroying the last bastion, beacon shall i be so bold, to embrace socialism, which so many died to defend against
liberals. self serving selfish fools too smug to listen
oh yeah, hows that new downgrade?
hows the middle east doing?
hows that fiscal cliff gonna be handled?
how are 23 million americans gonna find a job?
hows that french economy now that they decided to "tax the rich?" dont know? whys that hmmmm?
what will you all do when the economy contracts again nov 7th?
it will be too late for sorry
We are better off, because we no longer are losing 7000 jobs per month, instead creating new jobs.
We are better off because the economy is growing rather than contracting at 6%.
We are better off because the DOW is up over 5,000 points in the last 4 years.
We are better off, because Osama is dead and GM is alive.
We are better off, because we no longer are fighting war in Iraq and spending billions of dollars of US tax payers’ money there.
We are better off because we now have a well defined policy in Afghanistan, and we have dismantled the Al-Quada.
We are better off, because we have a president who is working to build the middle class everyday.
Yes, but more work needs to be done but we are much better off that we were in 2008.
Romney is 100% right about the 47%. He will do this country a great service if he opens up a real debate along these lines. The main question of 2012 is: will “takers” led by Obama will overtake “makers” led by Romney. The "unholy alliance" of takers consisting of welfare free-loaders, overpaid public sector workers and militants in trade-unions may not have the majority but they are better organized than the silent majority. The “takers” know dead well that the large government is their ticket to good life. And they have Three Big Friends in the form of media + academia +Hollywood. I lived in a real life socialist country (The USSR) long enough to tell signs of socialism when I see them. Socialism is all about government taking care of people with average and below average abilities and/or motivation to work at the expense of the rest. That is exactly what has been happening under Obama. So far it has been funded largely by running up national debt so “makers” do not notice it much but it will soon take real tax increases on them to continue. Of course at the end both the “makers” and the “takers” living standards will fall as always happen under socialism (e.g. the USSR, Greece, Cuba) but it will take some, so people ignore it now. But when we get there it will be too late. Wake up America! You still have a chance of surviving as a great nation!
PS. A great recent example of how aggressive “takers” can win over makers is the teachers strike in Chicago. There you have some 25 thousand teachers doing a lousy job but paid on average $75K. Their pay is out of taxes on average Chicago worker of $49K. Teachers union requested more pay with little performance review and got most of what they wanted. Did we see "one million march" of angry parents to stop this absurdity?
"Romney is 100% right about the 47%."
Do you live in one of the top 10 welfare recipient states? What party do the governors of those states belong to?
1) New Mexico (Democrat)
2) Mississippi (Republican)
3) Alaska (Republican)
4) Louisiana (Republican)
5) West Virginia (Republican)
6) Alabama (Republican)
7) South Dakota (Republican)
8) Kentucky (Republican)
9) Virginia (Republican)
10) Montana (Republican)
PPS. A larger example of “takers” are overpaid public sector workers. In the US they now number some 23 mil (15 local + 5 state + 3 federal, military excluded). Of course they are workers, not welfare slackers but why are they paid on average about 14% more compared to EQUALLY QUALIFIED private sector worker? (see Congressional Budget Office Study of 2011). Essentially they get a bonus of some $6,000 paid out of extra taxes on the average private sector worker. Is it fair? Do some 120 million private workers know about that? Do they protest?
MPEACH OBAMA !!
Who is Obama's REAL father?.................................Who is the REAL Obama?
Why has Obama failed to show his Real birth certificate? Who has been financing Obama? Why
hasn't he made his college transcripts public? Why does he want you to vote before this
information is acknowledged by the public?
www.ourcommunistcommanderinchief.com...........................Copy and Paste.......Watch
A full length movie with the TRUE facts. Watch before Obama has it banned from the public.
You mean an amateurish hack job that is one long lie, right? Really, you shouldn't spend so much time on www.NobodyGivesa@!$%#.com. It's affecting your already meager cognitive skills.
Sailcat;**** It looks like you liked the video so much, that you bought a copy it to play for your food stamp buddies. . With your Odumbo money, go out and get some beer and chips for your buddies, ., have some of them that got their brick cheese this month bring it and you all can have a grand old time watching the flick. We all know, that this president is a liar and a coward, but you idiots idolize him anyway. Watch the flick, and then go out and try to find a job, and try to get off the program. GOOD LUCK Hunting!
You're whining again, dandydon. Nobody likes a whiner, you know.
Yes, Odumbo and his useless party, are all dead-set about no photo ID. With all the fraud and corruption coming out of this party of idiots, could we expect anything different?. Now we can watch this part of the movie where millions of people ,will by chance, come out of the graves and vote for this worthless piece of crap. His Samuel Jackson video online proves just how stupid they really are. These democrats are brain-dead, maybe this video will get them out of their coma that they are in.