Are You Voting Absentee (By Mail) Or In Person?

[ChoppinBroccoli]

I have been debating whether to vote by absentee ballot or in person. Here in Ohio, we can generally vote absentee for any reason, provided you request your mail-in ballot far enough in advance. Ever since the shenanigans with the touch-screen voting machines in Ohio, I've always voted absentee because it creates a paper trail. However, I'm not sure what to do this time around. I'm worried that Trump installing his stooge in the USPS to screw with mail-in voting could result in my vote not being counted. I'm perfectly willing to show up to a polling place on November 3 if that's the best way to do things (I'm in the suburbs, so long lines and sparse machines are rarely a problem). I just don't know whether to request a mail-in ballot and risk it not being counted, or to show up to the polls and risk having my vote hacked.

I need guidance. What is everyone else here doing?

[ananda]

1. Mail-in ballot.

Austin, Texas

[MuseRider]

2. Mail in

always a choice but I have never used it. I will this time for certain, ballot is on the way. Kansas

[LisaL]

9. How could they have ballots on the way? We don't even yet have an official nominee or a VP.

Ballots have to have names on it.

[MuseRider]

45. I'm sorry

I was thinking about the General but posted about the primary in August. Sorry, I am signed up for both so it will be on the way soon after everything is decided.

[mentalsolstice]

76. In FL we can apply to have VBM ballots sent to us thru 2022, no excuse necessary.

I got mine for August primary yesterday, not that it really matters as in my case I’m a registered Democrat, closed voting here, so it’s local elections only. However, I look forward to the November ballot.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Mail, MN. This will be a first for me.

[leftieNanner]

6. Be sure to get the ballot back in the mail

soon after you receive it. They haven't closed the USPS (yet), but they have slowed delivery.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. I already have my ballot. I requested it on-line as soon as I could.

Our primary election for state candidates is on the 11th, so I'll be sending it in soon.

[leftieNanner]

11. Well Done!!

November will be interesting.

Actually, I saw a post here suggesting that election day isn't November 3rd but October 22 - 2 weeks before. This was to encourage us all to be sure to get our mail-in ballots returned early.

[leftieNanner]

4. We have 100% VBM in Oregon

Can you locate your county elections board office and see if you can drop off your ballot there?

We can mail our ballots through USPS, take them to the county offices, or use the drop boxes in town.

If you do choose to mail your ballot, get it in the mail as soon as you receive it. They haven't stopped the mail delivery yet, just slowed it down.

[MurrayDelph]

32. I live in the county seat, so the drop-off box is closer than the mailbox

Last edited Sun Jul 26, 2020, 02:08 PM - Edit history (1)

But after living in Oregon for the last ten years, I steal a concept from Tim Minchin's "Storm" (which dealt with "alternative medicine" )


q: Do you know what we call "vote by mail" in Oregon?
a: Voting

[leftieNanner]

33. Excellent!

Voting!

We moved up here from California 11 years ago. I used to work as a poll inspector down there and planned to sign up to do so here as well (before I knew it was all VBM). I was a little bit disappointed - but love sitting at the kitchen table with my ballot and a cup of tea (this year - whiskey) to fill it out.

[SlogginThroughIt]

5. In person. always.

[LisaL]

7. Absentee by mail, although I prefer in person.

But with a raging pandemic, I feel by mail is safer (both health wise, and who knows what will be going on in November pandemic wise). Don't really trust mail in voting as much as in person, but voted by mail in the primary and it worked, so feel a little better about it.

[Desert grandma]

10. Absentee mail in

Voted this way in the primary too. You can go online here to make certain that your ballot was received at the County Clerk's office. New Mexico

[TheCowsCameHome]

12. Mail this time.

I'm afraid of throttling someone carrying a "Trump 2020"sign at the voting place.

[BlueTsunami2018]

13. Mail. Just make sure to mail it early enough.

If you think the standard two days is going to be an issue, mail it a week early.

[Turbineguy]

14. Our county has been mail voting since the GOP stole the 2000 election.

[lunatica]

15. As of now I'm voting absentee here in New Mexico

The last time I voted it was with a ballot that then was run through a scanner. Scanners can’t be rigged.

[Totally Tunsie]

16. I vote by mail in RI and love it!

If concerned about your ballot being received, you can check online with your state's Sec. of State website. Here's the link for Ohio. (Note that they lump absentee in with Military voting.)
https://www.ohiosos.gov/secretary-office/office-initiatives/military-and-overseas-voters/military-overseas-voters-faqs/#know

HOW DO I KNOW THAT MY LOCAL BOARD OF ELECTIONS RECEIVED MY VOTED ABSENTEE BALLOT?
You will receive a tracking number from your county board of elections with your absentee ballot. You can use the tracking number to verify that your local board of elections has received your absentee ballot. Go to MilitaryVotes.Ohio.gov for more information.

https://usoav.ohiosos.gov/UOCAVA_vr__Login.aspx

[Trumpocalypse]

17. Depends on NYS rules for the election

The expanded absentee voting for the primary and I voted that way. Not sure about the rules for the general.

[trueblue2007]

18. oregon votes by mail !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ribrepin]

57. Washington State votes by mail too

I love it

[Chainfire]

19. My wife and I will request absentee ballots

But, if I think it can be done safely, I will vote in person. I haven't missed a vote in 47 years, It has almost become a habit.

Of course, this year, I plan to vote in all of the counties near to me, and if I have time, run up to Georgia and vote a time or two.

[subterranean]

27. Change your shirt, put on a different hat...

and you can go back in and vote again and again!

[Chainfire]

69. That would certainly save some gas money. I shoulda thought of that.....

My motto is vote right and vote often. I am DJ's biggest nightmare.

[leftieNanner]

35. Why don't you rent a bus

and collect a bunch of "illegals" to vote with you?

Definitely must involve crossing a few state lines. This is important stuff!

[tavernier]

65. I'm taking all my deceased friends and relatives with me.

[leftieNanner]

70. Ooh!

"I see dead people."

[Hekate]

20. California here. We use mail-in, but since we discovered the drop-box at the County Bldg complex...

...we take our ballots there.

YMMV, of course, depending on what arrangements are available in your area.

ETA: If using the mail, do it very, very early. Trump is effing with the USPS and has ordered his new henchman to slow down deliveries.

[Green Line]

21. Mail in without an excuse is new in MA this year

I’ll be mailing in

[beachbumbob]

22. We will early vote in person, it takes a minute and no waiting

[OKNancy]

23. Probably in person

Small town in low Covid-19 place. Also in OK you have to get a notary to sign.
Easier to go in person

[shanti]

24. Mail, always n/t

[subterranean]

25. Mail is the only choice here in Washington.

Never had any problem with it. It just takes a little longer for all the votes to be counted.

This year it might be especially important to send your ballot in early, if you vote by mail, to avoid the surge on Election Day and make sure it gets postmarked in time. Better yet, drop it off in a secure drop box if that option is available.

[liberaltrucker]

26. Mail (PA)

County election bureau is sending the ballots
in early October.

[Binkie The Clown]

28. I'm in Oregon. We ONLY vote by mail. nt

[Freedomofspeech]

29. Mail in...PA

[democrank]

30. Voting by mail in Vermont

[qwlauren35]

31. Probably in Person.

If we have a massive early voting effort, I will vote in person because the sh*t that is going on with the post office scares the crap out of me.

If they can delay a package of medicine by two weeks, I don't know what will happen to the ballots.

I would risk getting COVID-19 to vote Trump out in person.

[SouthernCal_Dem]

34. Both

My ballot comes in the mail and then I drop it off at a polling station after filling it out.

California makes it so easy.

[Philostopher]

36. Also in Ohio.

Just for the record, for Ohioans - your mail-in ballot can be dropped off at any early voting site when it's open, and at your voting site on Election Day. David Pepper (chairman of Ohio Dem Party) is lobbying for more public drop boxes, but if we don't get them, we still can drop off ballots. That saves you having to stand around waiting, and you know there's a paper trail.

That being said, we're also planning on trying to get N95 masks before Election Day, since there's always the possibility we'll have to vote in person. I live in a largely Republican area in the 'burbs, so there probably will be jerks who won't wear a mask, even if there's a mandate. Our county bought new voting machines this year. They're paper "dot fill" with a reader, which makes me feel somewhat better about it, though our old touchscreens also printed a paper receipt inside the machine.

[ProfessorGAC]

37. Don't Know Yet

I live in fairly small town. (6,000 with another 1,500 in the township)
We have 4 voting precincts and they're all in fairly large buildings. I think social distancing can easily be maintained.
If I think they won't take necessary steps, or I think some tools will take the opportunity to make a statement about masks, I'll vote absentee or by mail.
Even if I don't vote by mail, I'm retired, so I can drive by the place several times waiting for a slow period.
So, like I said, I'm not sure yet.

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

38. I use the mail in ballot

But drop it off in person during early voting hours.

[Luciferous]

39. Mail in ballot, but we have a drop-off box at our village hall so I will just drop it off there.

[Iggo]

40. My current plan is to drop off my mail in ballot at the polling place.

[hlthe2b]

41. CO offers all mail-in ballots, but I will take extra effort to hand deliver mine.

[TheBlackAdder]

42. By Mail. We don't have scumbags managing our Board of Elections.

[Vogon_Glory]

43. I plan to vote early and in person.

I plan to vote early and in person. Texas has about an early voting period extending for the better part of two weeks before the general election. I plan to come in mid-morning or mid-afternoon during a weekday, hope there’s not much of a line, then go home, shower off, and change clothing.

It’s a risk, but throwing the R’s out of office is worth the gamble.

[yortsed snacilbuper]

44. Mail (PGH PA)

[PasadenaTrudy]

46. Always by mail n/t

[gollygee]

47. mail-in

I'm not standing in line. I already sent my August ballot in, and I expect the virus will be pretty bad in November.

[Talitha]

48. Rural north WI - - I'll be voting in person as usual.

My township's population was well under 400 in the last census. There's never a line, never a worry... in and out in less than 5 minutes.

GO JOE!!!!!

[CozyMystery]

49. Absentee.

Have stage 3 cancer and will be in the midst of 6 mos of chemo.

[Maru Kitteh]

50. Mr Maru and I have been voting Mail-in for 8 years. Love it.

[dumbcat]

51. In person - early

Our County voting office rarely has more than 2-3 people in it for early voting. It has never taken me more than a couple of minutes to sign in and get to a voting machine. Rural Texas.

[salin]

52. In person - early vote.

I watch my scanned ballot (sealed in an envelope) get inserted into a locked box. I did this in the primary - and it was well organized, allowed for serious social distancing, everyone was masked and sanitizer was being used by workers on all shared services. Had to stand outside for a short while (people stood more like 10 ft apart), as the flow of people in was very controlled.

Talk to people who voted locally - in person early vote - to get their opinion/description of how safe (via protocols followed.)

[SammyWinstonJack]

53. In person, early voting as always.

[Ms. Toad]

54. You know you have at least as solid confirmation that your ballot was counted

when you vote absentee than when you in person, right?

https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/ballot-tracking/

There is absolutely no reason to vote in person (unless you want to).

Mail your ballot in far enough in advance that you have plenty of time to confirm that it has arrived and is approved for counting. Keep a copy of it so you don't have to re-research every person/issue.

If, by election day, you cannot confirm it was received and approved for counting, go to the polling place and vote provisionally. Use the copy of your mailed ballot to make your selections on the provisional ballot. If your mailed ballot arrives late (but timely for counting), it will be counted. If it doesn't arrive timely for counting, your provisional ballot wil be counted.

Unlike the idiots who show up at the wrong precinct and insist on voting there, this is a legitimate use of a provisional ballot that helps you ensure your vote will be counted. (Trust me, as an observer, this is the most common scenario - and why provisional ballots have a bad rap - they are used by lazy/stupid voters who can't be bothered to find the right precinct.) It is a back-up, in case something goes wrong with the mail so that you have one ballot that is in a condition to be counted.

(Another legitimate reason to use a provisional ballot is if you've been purged. It preserves your vote in case the purge is reversed. BUT you should confirm, well in advance of the November election that you are still registered to vote, to avoid the need to use a provisional ballot.)

[Blue_true]

60. I Florida, we have scanners count a vote in real time. I can stand and watch my vote get counted

and see the confirmation.

[Ms. Toad]

64. Any in person voting counts ballots read/cast.

Part of the reconciliation process is matching the voting register against the tally on the voting machine.

The concern here (raised tons of times already) was about Trump somehow delaying (or selectively destroying) the ballots via the US mail. Determining whether your vote arrived and is ready for counting is a simple process - use your state's online verification of mailed ballots. That way you remove mail as a variable - confirming your ballot arrived is not dependent on Trump's meddling with the mail.

[Dagstead Bumwood]

55. Also in OH and I'll be voting in person.

The wife and I always vote early in person and together. Ohio, whatever you can say about it, at least has a decent early voting period. For example, the primary was March 17, but we went to our county office and voted ten days before on March 7. There were just a few poll workers present, and one or two voters on hand. We may even go a week earlier this time to avoid a larger crowd closer to the election.

I've been doing early, in-person voting for years and I wouldn't have it any other way.

[Ms. Toad]

56. I'll vote either in person early voting - or by mail.

I'll almost certainly be an observer for Biden on election day, so if I don't vote early I don't vote.

I have no preference between the two, other than convenience and safety (health).

[we can do it]

58. Absentee, mail or drop off.

[Blue_true]

59. I am going to wear a mask, gloves and goggles and early vote in person.

I don’t trust mailing in a ballot here is Florida for the General. I expect to see people that mail in ballots or wait until Election Day to vote have big problems voting. Why do we keep hitting ourselves over the head with that brick, the problems, like too few voting machines or broken machines, ALWAYS seem to impact heavily democratic precincts and cities.

[herding cats]

61. Same.

There's no way I won't be voting in November. Even though I don't get to vote by mail. I'll isolate from my family Pod for 2 weeks. It's more than worth that.

[Demsrule86]

62. Ohio has no in person early voting...so we can vote by sending our ballot by mail or drop off our

ballot or vote in person. I am leaning to voting in person...if Ohio is close they could screw with the absentee ballots...Ohio is in play.

[LisaL]

72. OH has in person early voting.

It's not very convenient because there is only one location per county for early voting. But you can certainly early vote in person in OH.

[RandiFan1290]

63. In person 100% nt

[Ohio Joe]

66. I live in Colorado...

I'll get my ballot in the mail. Once completed, I can mail it back but there is a drop off for ballots at my local library and I go right by it to/from work so it's an easy peasy stop.

[Odoreida]

67. In person.

It's the only way to be sure.

[a kennedy]

68. IN PERSON DAMN IT........will be wearing my mask, tons of sanitizer

and proudly VOTE FOR JOE. I have received two applications for mail in voting ballots.....but I’m going in live.

[sakabatou]

71. I've been mail-in since I could vote

[Wednesdays]

73. In person, but will take Covid precautions

There has never been a long line at my precinct. Rest of the family will do mail-in voting.

Central Oklahoma.

[smirkymonkey]

74. Mail-in, in MA.

It will be a first for me, but I am not taking any chances that we will be prevented or deterred from voting physically. And I am voting as soon as possible, before he manages to fuck things up with mail-in votes. Have already applied for my ballot.

[ChazII]

75. mail in ballot