General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMail in voting, people, c'mon,
this is stupid.
My state Washington has been doing it automatically for everyone for like 10 years.
Do I miss seeing the great woman elders at the election station and getting my i voted sticker? Sure. But so worth it.
RandySF
(59,158 posts)I was thinking the same thing.
customerserviceguy
(25,183 posts)and I always looked forward to the leftover Halloween candy the ladies at my polling place passed out.
Voting should be a social activity, it is an essential part of being an active member of a society.
Wounded Bear
(58,698 posts)voting too early could invalidate your vote if the candidate drops out.
I have my WA ballot and will take care of it the next couple of days.
Andy823
(11,495 posts)I waited till after South Carolina and then decided, and sent it in. I love our mail in voting.
llmart
(15,552 posts)You no longer have to give a reason. There's nothing saying you have to fill it out and drop it off early and even if you do and want to change your vote (in the event someone drops out) all you have to do is ask for a new ballot. Your old ballot will be marked as a spoiled ballot and the tabulator will kick it out.
I love voting in the privacy of my own home.
Brother Buzz
(36,458 posts)Wounded Bear
(58,698 posts)It's why I didn't do mine yet in WA. At least that is not a problem in the general.
Brother Buzz
(36,458 posts)My candidate is on the ballot, and it will be tallied. Only, it doesn't count for shit, I guess.
Plus, all the down ballot stuff is still totally valid, and very important to me, so there's that.
ChazII
(6,205 posts)My candidate is no longer on the ballot.
Retrograde
(10,151 posts)I voted for the person I'd most like to see in the job, not the (currently) most popular.
Anyway, for me, Congress is the big race.
Brother Buzz
(36,458 posts)My congressional district is a safe blue lock, but there are a couple of other Congressional races I will be watching, and of course the CA 25 special election race. I suspect we won't have solid number for hours so I'm expecting a long night.
unitedwethrive
(1,997 posts)So we waited until Saturday to mail in our ballots. Who knew so much would change in the last two days?
But hopefully Liz will give her delegates to Biden when she drops out. It's inevitable.
Different Drummer
(7,641 posts)DD
Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)In RI, once you receive your ballot in the mail, you fill it out and place in a medium-size envelope which you then seal. This envelope then needs to be signed, notarized, placed into the mailing envelope and returned.
You can verify online that your ballot has been received at the Board of Elections website.
Really just curious if all VBM needs to be notarized.
Wounded Bear
(58,698 posts)we also have to designate a party in the primaries to help them pre-sort, I guess. Some folks complained, but hey, I figure they should pick a side for the primaries. None of that on the general election, of course.
After a couple of years, they made it postage free to try and boost turnout.
We also have a website.
Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)For many who VBM, it's because they can't physically get to the polls, so how is getting to a notary any easier for them? Granted, no long lines, but they still have to get out. Plus, not everyone has access to FREE notary service, and some places charge as much as $10. (My bank will do it for free.)
We have to designate a party also. I should have mentioned we get a quick questionnaire in the mail first where we specify which party's ballot we desire.
LiberalFighter
(51,044 posts)Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)mcar
(42,372 posts)It's now a big push for the FL Democratic Party. Voting is much higher when it's by mail.
Now I'm freed up to volunteer as a poll watcher on election days!
moonscape
(4,673 posts)voting and would hate not having that option. Of course polling places in my area are prolific so there are no long lines. I am in and out very quickly.
Yesterday a woman started talking to me as we were leaving and we stood outside for a while talking about our choices and politics. Great conversation and we ended up exchanging numbers so we could continue it over coffee.
Love voting in person!
jeffreyi
(1,943 posts)And took cookies to the poll workers yesterday anyway. Great fun.
BSdetect
(8,998 posts)Other than making election Tuesday a national holiday.
maxsolomon
(33,383 posts)There's plenty of ways to fix our voting, but there's one problem: REPUBLIKKKANS.
Wounded Bear
(58,698 posts)maxsolomon
(33,383 posts)Would you agree that turnout might be IMPROVED by Saturday polling?
Wounded Bear
(58,698 posts)We're on the same side. More voting is good.
Caliman73
(11,744 posts)Something to highlight the importance of the act of voting.
That and pouring money into expanding access to polls and taking some of the hassle out of the process.
We see and we know that Republicans shut down polling locations in predominantly poor, urban, POC districts. they want to restrict access while Democrats want to expand it. Voting is a right not a privilege. It should be a civic duty.
itsrobert
(14,157 posts)Nt
SoCalNative
(4,613 posts)and have for over a decade. We always get the "I Voted" sticker in the package with our ballot.
LisaM
(27,827 posts)I really do miss the polls (I'm in Seattle), but at least they made a huge step with mail-in voting by taking away the postage requirement, which really cheesed me.
However, I don't vote early, and I usually walk my ballot to the drop-off box, which is a luxury most people in Washington don't have, since there are far too few of them.
VOX
(22,976 posts)This should be standard everywhere, it eliminates any doubts about your ballot getting lost (or worse) in the mail.
PufPuf23
(8,818 posts)The Voter's Receipt has no number or anyway to tie the receipt to me (or any other voter).
I am in the outback of Humboldt county.
I preferred going to live voting at the elementary school, never any line to speak of and know a majority of other voters.
But 10 plus years ago, the county quit the voting station and vote by mail is only option.
VOX
(22,976 posts)And I find it disappointing. Im in Riverside County, and I know L.A. County also has a coded tear-off to allow the voter to track receipt of their mailed ballots. Guess the smaller counties dont have this feature available. Thanks for pointing this out.
https://cavotes.org/vote/how-vote/voting-mail
Was My Vote Counted?
All valid vote-by-mail ballots are counted regardless of the outcome or closeness of any race. Some County Elections Offices invite voters to use their Web site to determine when their ballot was mailed and if their vote-by-mail ballot was received.
PufPuf23
(8,818 posts)Interesting to know that not only do I not get a useful receipt but don't even get an "I Voted" sticker.
VOX
(22,976 posts)In a worst-case scenario, it might prove useful, especially in a county with a population of 136,000+.
lame54
(35,316 posts)Maeve
(42,287 posts)I also mail in my vote.
And Ohio has a system to tell you if your vote has been received and accepted (forgot to sign it once and they sent me a new ballot). Got the email today that I'm voted for the March 17th primary. (Oh, and Ohio also has 'Youth at the Booth' so we have HS seniors as well as little old ladies to greet you)