Early voting has changed a lot of things.

[SheilaT]

This is partially in response to this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251198295

From 1969 to 1979 I was a ticket agent at National Airport in Washington DC. I recall very clearly that travel patterns were greatly altered during the week of the Presidential election during that time. Flights were unusually full on Monday afternoon and evening, exceedingly light on election day, and then back to normal on Wednesday. Getting an absentee ballot back then was difficult to impossible, and the kind of people who back then made up the bulk of our mid-week travellers -- adult males, mainly white, well educated and who were travelling for business -- were the kind of people who tended to vote.

So while early voting is probably bringing in some numbers of people who otherwise wouldn't have voted, it's made it much more possible for those who would be voting anyway to get it done more conveniently.

Alas, even though some huge percentage of citizens will vote early (50%?), we'll still be seeing stories on election day of long lines and interminable delays.

I was actually quite shocked to learn that a number of states do not have early voting, including New York. I wonder if the hurricane will make that state change to have early voting by 2016?

[yellerpup]

1. As a NYer, it would be a good idea to implement early voting.

As an elections inspector, I'm definitely all for it. Voting hours here are from 6AM-9PM, and we are allowed one 30 minute break to go vote. In 2008, our precinct celebrated an 80% voter turnout and 80% went toward Barack Obama. We saw an almost equally strong turnout in 2010 because there was a Teahadist running for Senator and he lost by a wide, wide margin. The point is, we were worked to the bone and there was no one under 60 working at the polls. The pay is a flat fee for the day, a little over $200 so that the state does not have to issue 1099's for any of the workers. Early voting here would open up new (short) seasonal jobs that only take one day of training. I'm for it.

[SheilaT]

4. Can't you get an absentee ballot since

you already know you'll be working all that day?

[yellerpup]

10. Yes, you can go to the BOE

and vote absentee if you are an elections inspector. The precinct where I work and the Precinct where I vote are about 4 blocks away, so I usually take a stretch of the legs on my break and have my bagged lunch when I return. Easy.

[ffr]

2. Yes. Can't understand why some haven't

"So while early voting is probably bringing in some numbers of people who otherwise wouldn't have voted, it's made it much more possible for those who would be voting anyway to get it done more conveniently. "

Makes perfect sense to me.

[yellowcanine]

3. Voting on Nov 6 is way more convenient for me.

I have the day off, I know exactly where the polling place is, I can walk to it, and I see a lot of people I know there. If I go right when it opens I don't have to wait long. If I wanted to vote early, I would have to look up where the nearest early voting location is, drive there, find a parking space, wait in a very long line, and I would probably not know anyone. For me there is nothing more convenient about early voting.

[ffr]

5. That fact that you're able to conveniently cast your ballot is key

I like your idea. It turns casting your ballot into a socially fun time.

[SheilaT]

6. I'm genuinely pleased that it's so easy for you.

But a lot of people work on a Tuesday, and depending on their job, getting away to vote may not be so easy. You are absolutely one who'll vote on election day itself, but for others, early voting makes it much easier.

[yellowcanine]

7. I think we should have early voting and unlimited absentee voting. Anything which

increases voter participation is important. It is just that for me it is more convenient to vote on election day.

[Butterbean]

9. I'm one of those people who NEEDS early voting to get it done.

My kids can't go to the polls with me (YOU try waiting in a 2 hour line ...yes, 2 hours... with a moderately autistic 8 year old and a hyper 4 year old), and by the time my husband gets off work and gets done voting, the polls are closed because he has to wait in line so long. Early voting is a lifesaver for me. I vote when the kids are in school, and I get it done fast. This year was the first time I've had to wait, ever. I waited 45 minutes this year, which has never happened. Normally I just walk in, vote, and walk out.

[musicblind]

12. I'm the same way. It is way easier for me to vote on November 6th

We live in a small town so the polling place is just down the street from me.

There are never any lines because... well it's a really small town. That's one thing I love. I have never, in my life, waited in a line to vote... and I've been voting since 2000 in every election.

Plus, my boyfriend and I made sure that we were off work for that day. That is a very, very, very important day. So we're already off work... so why not vote on November 6th.

Plus, I know that I'm one more vote in the bank on election day for Obama. Same with my boyfriend.

[Major Hogwash]

8. Tell me about it ShielaT! For the first time in 20 years, they opened the voting booths here .

. . on the weekend!!
They were early voting on the weekend here!!
That's unheard of here in Idaho.

The county voting administrators decided that the number of early voters this year was so high, that to help alleviate long lines of early voters this week, they opened the county's voting booths at the county's elections office on the weekend.

And they still wound up having long lines to get in to vote on Saturday!!

They had a news report on tv that night showing people waiting in line to vote and the lines were pretty long, winding the voters around a series of turns laid out in the parking lot.

I could not believe it.

[HopeHoops]

11. PA doesn't have early voting I've got to make a 1+ hour round trip...

... to pick up my eldest at college so she can vote in person. I don't trust the absentee ballots to make a flying fuck of a difference.