How are people voting now?

[welovedisneyx4]

Why are people being allowed to vote now? I always thought election day was the 1st Tuesday in November? I understand about absentee ballets, but actually going to the polls? I don't get it. Can someone explain this to me?

 

[caitycaity]

several states allow early voting to try to mitigate problems on election day. if they have voting over a longer period, and something goes wrong, fewer people will be disenfranchized because they will have time to fix it. that's the theory anyways.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Does anyone have a list of which states allow this?

 

[chadfromdallas]

go to google: put in early voting (your city, your state)

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I know in Florida with all of the Hurricane Damage and people being able to get to the polls and to avoid long lines on Election day they opened the polls yesterday.

4 years ago people were turned away while standing in line to vote due to the time.

 

[froglady]

Florida allows early voting. Starting yesterday, the Supervisor of Elections Office here (Jacksonville) will be open 12 hours a day during the week, and (I think) 9-5 on the weekend.

This apparently wasn't good enough. A vocal group wants polls opened throughout the city. There wasn't enough time to set this up, so there were free buses running from several libraries to the Elections Office.

This wasn't good enough. Today's headlines state that 2-4 satelite sites will be added. I suspect that unless they're located EXACTLY where this group wants them, it still won't be good enough.



BTW, on election day, there are at least 4 polling places within walking distance (less than 10 mins) of my house! I've never lived anyplace where voting is so easy and convenient...yet seems to be so difficult for some.

 

[piratesmate]

Originally posted by Mom2Ashli
....... 4 years ago people were turned away while standing in line to vote due to the time.

Around here, in small towns or the rural locations, when the polls are "closed" one of the officials gets at the end of the line. He/she turns away newcomers stating the time & waits behind the last person until they enter the building.

I'm curious. Was this in cities? I guess it wouldn't be as easy there. Or is that these people were turned away because they were late?

 

[caitycaity]

The states that allow "no-excuse" early voting are Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.

http://www.stateline.org/stateline/?pa=story&sa=showStoryInfo&id=402133&columns=false