I need advice -- should I request an absentee ballot?

[CatWoman]

Got this email today:

Dear MoveOn member in Georgia,

Here's one of the most powerful things you can do to win this election:

Vote by Mail.

In an election where a handful of votes could make all the difference, voting by mail is the single best way to make sure your vote is counted. If you are eligible (see below for criteria) all you need to do is request an absentee ballot, and when it comes in the mail, fill it out and send it back. To order your ballot right now, click below for the form:

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/elections/voter_information/absentee_ballot_app.pdf

Then click here for a county by county listing of where to send it:

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/elections/voter_information/2000_voter_info.asp

Think voting by mail sounds kind of "ho-hum"? Think again:


If you're concerned about touch-screen voting, voting by mail ensures that your ballot won't be lost on a computer, because you're putting it down on paper.


Voting by mail frees up your time on Election Day. If anything comes up on November 2nd -- like sick kids, car trouble, or an intense workload -- it can't keep you from voting.


You can use that precious time on November 2nd to multiply your impact, by helping other voters get to the polls.


Mailed-in ballots are a huge asset for your candidates. They're often counted ahead of time, and it helps to start the day with thousands of votes "in the bank."


Millions of new voters have registered this year, and some officials are already overwhelmed. Voting by mail will help minimize the bottleneck on Election Day, and keep you from being caught in long lines at the polls or other snafus.


This election is way too important to leave anything to chance.

As a Georgia voter, you're eligible to vote by mail if ANY of the following apply to you:


You will be absent from your precinct from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on November 2nd;


You are 75 years of age or older;


You have a physical disability which prevents you from voting in person or you are a constant caregiver of a person with a disability;


You are a member of the Armed Forces or Merchant Marine of the United States, or a spouse or dependent of such a person, and residing outside the county where you are registered to vote;


You will be observing a religious holiday on November 2nd;


You are required to remain on duty in your precinct for the protection of life, health, or safety of the public;


OR You are an election official.


If ANY of these are true for you, click below now for the form to order your ballot:

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/elections/voter_information/absentee_ballot_app.pdf

Then click here for a county by county listing of where to send it:

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/elections/voter_information/2000_voter_info.asp

Be sure to sign and date the form before you mail it in.

Then watch for your absentee ballot, which should arrive in the mail shortly.

The 2000 election was decided by just 537 votes in Florida and just 366 in New Mexico. We've got to take every possible step to bank our votes this year.

Voting by mail will play a huge role in this election. According to Tuesday's Washington Post, "absentee ballots are expected to account for as much as 20 percent of Florida votes, rising to an estimated 50 percent in New Mexico and Colorado and 70 percent in Washington state."

Get your mail-in absentee ballot today.

Thank you for your commitment to democracy.

Sincerely,

- Carrie, Joan, Lee, Marika, Noah, Peter, and Wes
The MoveOn.org Team
October 18th, 2004

P.S.: If you have any questions, you can find your Secretary of State's office online at:

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/elections/voter_information/default.htm

Or try reaching their office by phone, at:

404-656-2871

[skylarmae]

1. now tell me again, how safe is my ballot when it reaches exactly where?

and in a repuke state like Utah, I trust my democratic ballot to who, john q. repuke???? Most repuke state in the Union - How safe is my vote anywhere here. At least my vote will be registered at the polling place and will be accounted for that way, maybe ???
I just don't know....

[Ruby Romaine]

2. check with your local democratic party /kerry office first.

in some areas it's better not to vote absentee, it just depends on where you live.
some places only count absentee votes if it's close, where i live all ballots are counted -so absentee is ok.

[Ruby Romaine]

3. another factor could be if you register by party in your state

here in Michigan, we don't specify party so they don't know if you are a Democrat or a Republican.

[flaminbats]

4. there is no party registration in Georgia..

I'm not thrilled with electronic voting machines or absentee ballots, but if Carter is willing to vote on these machines then so am I.

[CatWoman]

5. I want to take election day off

so that I can drive people to the polls.

Moveon.org is asking for volunteers.

[flaminbats]

6. sounds good to me..

no decent employer should stop you. :thumbsup:

[Citizen Jane]

7. Early Voting?

I did early voting for the first general primary (as opposed to the runoff) and it was great.

I'm with flaminbats on the electronic voting: I am not crazy about it, but if it is good enough for President Carter it is certainly good enough for me!

Is Moveon.org asking for local volunteers? Hmmm....I have to teach in the morning, but...