Voting Early

[Disney Doll]

I've seen afew threads about people voting already, at a polling place apparently, and not as an absentee ballot.

What is this about? Am I totally out of the loop? Why are some people able to go to polling places early and vote??? In my town, we are voting November 4th.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

It depends on the state you are in. We have early voting here in Colorado. In fact, I worked the phones this weekend to let folks know they can vote early!

 

[mom2rb]

In Texas, you can vote for two weeks before the election. They opened around ten polling places in Harris County and you can go to any of them to vote. Early voting ends four days before the election. After that you vote on election day and only at your precinct.

 

[Disney Doll]

Why is this necessary?
It seems to me that this will only add to the possibility of voter fraud.

 

[shortbun]

In Ohio, we've been able to vote since 9/30/08. I believe each county has one site open for it. It's all paper ballot, not absentee but real ballot. Keeps the lines down on election day and guarantees that your vote is counted, not changed by some stupid machine. I think many if not most states have made provisions for early voting. Oregon voters mail their ballot in and have for many years. I did it to protect my vote and so I would be able to work outside the polls on election day helping those having trouble. I've taken two classes about safeguarding one's vote and legalities of Ohio voting. I was going to drive people to the polls but seems we have too many people working on that here. What a wonderful predicament to be in. We also had way too many people apply to work in the precincts as official Board of Elections employees. They turned thousands away here. Ohio is organized after too many years of criminal activity at the healm of our state. Ken Blackwell is gone for good and Ohio's vote count will be done as honestly and concisely as possible. Yay!

 

[safetymom]

I voted here in FL the other day. I thought it went much smoother than typical election days here. I am glad I avoided the crowds.

 

[shortbun]

Why is this necessary?
It seems to me that this will only add to the possibility of voter fraud.

That's what the cheaters want you to think. Oregon has been mailing in their ballots for years with no problem. Voting early is a very organized and protected system here in Ohio. I did it and everyone was very orderly, followed instructions and cast their ballot proudly just like every other election. Each person voting early makes time for others who have a short time but want to exersize their right to vote on November 4th. It's a good thing. The ballots are sealed with documentation on the inside and outside of the envelope then put in a guarded metal container until election day when they are counted as the polls close. 31 states have early voting.

 

[MyManGoofy!]

Why is this necessary?
It seems to me that this will only add to the possibility of voter fraud.

I voted on Saturday here in FL. If it were not for early voting - I would not have been able to vote this year. Due to the economy I have taken a contract position in another town, so I have an hour and a half commute in the morning and in the evening (leave before 7 am and get home after 7 pm). Although this company did say we were "allowed" to take time off to vote on Election Day, they will also count it as an occurrence against you.

That is why it is necessary.

 

[TDC Nala]

Virginia is permitting this now.

I'm not going to do it because I can get out of work early on the 4th if I vote then.

 

[corndog]

Why is this necessary?
It seems to me that this will only add to the possibility of voter fraud.

Your second sentence answers the first. That is exactly why many people support early voting. Ohio's early voting process has been a national embarrassment.

In the interests of full disclosure, I have been steadfast in my desire to make it more difficult to vote, so as to discourage (suppress, even!) those who haven't done their homework from voting.

 

[LindaR]

I called my county courthouse and asked the county clerk. She told me where I could vote early and I took care of it this past week! I was concerned with standing in long lines ( have spinal problems) and knew that, quite honestly, I would choose NOT to vote if I had to go to a busy crowded place and stand in line for more than an hour.

It was easy and my responsibility has been taken care of.

 

[shortbun]

Your second sentence answers the first. That is exactly why many people support early voting. Ohio's early voting process has been a national embarrassment.

.....

Embarrasing to YOU maybe because the fraud of the GOP has been addressed and removed. Our old system was: Pull voting machines out of poor and black precincts so the voters do not have time to vote, hire off duty police to stand with weapons at the polling places to intimidate the voters; put Diebold machines that were intentionally programmed to count votes incorrectly and hand the election over to your candidate. Now THAT was embarrassing. Diebold - now know as Premier- has admitted that their machines were flawed. I personally witnessed the weaponed intimidators and the removed or shut down machines. Not my opinion, fact.

 

[corndog]

Embarrasing to YOU maybe because the fraud of the GOP has been addressed and removed. Our old system was: Pull voting machines out of poor and black precincts so the voters do not have time to vote, hire off duty police to stand with weapons at the polling places to intimidate the voters; put Diebold machines that were intentionally programmed to count votes incorrectly and hand the election over to your candidate. Now THAT was embarrassing. Diebold - now know as Premier- has admitted that their machines were flawed. I personally witnessed the weaponed intimidators and the removed or shut down machines. Not my opinion, fact.

OK.

And Diebold (and Karl Rove, of course!) stole all of my tinfoil so the Republicans could read my thoughts!

 

[OhhBother]

My DH and I voted yesterday in Tennessee. It works out great for us -- we're traveling 15 minutes across the state line on Election Day to volunteer with the Obama campaign in North Carolina.

Your question made me curious, so I checked -- more than 30 states now allow early voting of some kind. I think it's a great way to make sure as many people as possible have the opportunity to vote.

 

[komondorok]

It depends on the state you are in. We have early voting here in Colorado. In fact, I worked the phones this weekend to let folks know they can vote early!

And you also have the option of requesting a mail-in ballot.

DH and I received ours earlier this month. We filled them out and they have been returned.

 

[mum4jenn]

Here in GA we use the same machines that are used on Election Day. Our votes are electronic. Our unique voting id number is programmed onto a card the sizr of a credit card. We slip the card into a slot in the machine and the various screen pop up and we touch the part next to the name of the person we want to vote for (or issue). You have a chance on each page to change your vote and again at the very end before you "send" your vote. If you have a write in candidate (as I did for Hillary)then you touch write in and a keypad pops up so you can type in the name.Very simple and NO chads!!

I LOVE early voting and that is the only way I prefer to vote.








EARLY VOTING – No excuses needed. Starts Monday, September 22. It’s easy and convenient and allows you to vote on a day and time that’s convenient for you! Simply visit your county’s early voting site (click here for a list of locations and hours of operation), fill out the application, and present one of the permitted forms of photo ID. And you’re ready to vote!

VOTE BY MAIL –No excuses needed. Just fill out the application. Then, mail it or drop it off to your county registrar’s office. We urge you to request your mail-in ballot and get it back to your county registrar’s office as soon as possible. Mail-in ballots must be received by your county registrar no later than close of the polls on Election Day. And, remember, Georgia prohibits anyone other than the voter him/herself from personal delivery of a voted mail-in ballot.

ADVANCE VOTE WEEK – No excuses needed. Will be held from MONDAY, October 27, thru FRIDAY, October 31. Most counties will have multiple voting centers and even extended hours. Click here to check locations and times of operation for your county’s advance vote sites. A photo ID is required to vote in person.

ELECTION DAY is Tuesday, November 4, 2008, and the polls open at 7:00 a.m. On Election Day, you must vote at your assigned precinct and present a photo ID. To double check your precinct location, click here.

 

[SeeVee]

Embarrasing to YOU maybe because the fraud of the GOP has been addressed and removed. Our old system was: Pull voting machines out of poor and black precincts so the voters do not have time to vote, hire off duty police to stand with weapons at the polling places to intimidate the voters; put Diebold machines that were intentionally programmed to count votes incorrectly and hand the election over to your candidate. Now THAT was embarrassing. Diebold - now know as Premier- has admitted that their machines were flawed. I personally witnessed the weaponed intimidators and the removed or shut down machines. Not my opinion, fact.

You forgot to mention the black helicopters flying overhead.

You know, in heavily democrat precincts, the polling places are run by (drum roll please.........)DEMOCRATS. Are you saying that they were trying to suppress the votes in their precincts?

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Here in GA we use the same machines that are used on Election Day. Our votes are electronic. Our unique voting id number is programmed onto a card the sizr of a credit card. We slip the card into a slot in the machine and the various screen pop up and we touch the part next to the name of the person we want to vote for (or issue). You have a chance on each page to change your vote and again at the very end before you "send" your vote. If you have a write in candidate (as I did for Hillary)then you touch write in and a keypad pops up so you can type in the name.Very simple and NO chads!!

I LOVE early voting and that is the only way I prefer to vote.





EARLY VOTING – No excuses needed. Starts Monday, September 22. It’s easy and convenient and allows you to vote on a day and time that’s convenient for you! Simply visit your county’s early voting site (click here for a list of locations and hours of operation), fill out the application, and present one of the permitted forms of photo ID. And you’re ready to vote!

VOTE BY MAIL –No excuses needed. Just fill out the application. Then, mail it or drop it off to your county registrar’s office. We urge you to request your mail-in ballot and get it back to your county registrar’s office as soon as possible. Mail-in ballots must be received by your county registrar no later than close of the polls on Election Day. And, remember, Georgia prohibits anyone other than the voter him/herself from personal delivery of a voted mail-in ballot.

ADVANCE VOTE WEEK – No excuses needed. Will be held from MONDAY, October 27, thru FRIDAY, October 31. Most counties will have multiple voting centers and even extended hours. Click here to check locations and times of operation for your county’s advance vote sites. A photo ID is required to vote in person.

ELECTION DAY is Tuesday, November 4, 2008, and the polls open at 7:00 a.m. On Election Day, you must vote at your assigned precinct and present a photo ID. To double check your precinct location, click here.

I have never done this! (I'm in SE GA ) Thanks OP for starting this thread. I am going to my local library tomorrow to vote!!

 

[wilderness01]

Don't you love this way to vote? I thought it was very easy and I liked being able to see my picks at the end before I pressed submit.

 

[Golf4food]

We will be voting early this week (we are in Florida). Election day at the voting precincts are nuts, crowded, slow, painful, aggravating, and discouraging. Our polling station is also an area we don't normally go during the week and rarely on weekends and is in the opposite direction from where we normally travel for work, shopping, etc. so we have to go out of our way in the opposite direction in bad traffic. Not fun. Early voting (which is no worse than absentee voting by mail IMHO) allows us to vote at a library that is on our normal travel route, faster, easier, etc. Love it.