Early voting....good or bad idea? Do we have to change everything????
By taface412
@taface412 (3175)
United States
November 3, 2008 7:03pm CST
Since we have never had the opportunity to do early voting before in the presedential elections (other than absentee voting) I cannot help but to wonder why on Earth this is so important.
I can only guess that on November 5th no matter who it is that will win the election there will be issues about this and call for a recount. And with all the other issues people have with one another and intolerances I can only see this heading in another frustrating chapter of this long election campaign. I just do not understand why it is important other than for reporting polling purposes and just how can they ensure that someone will not vote twice.
They should have just left it the way it was....vote on the fourth or if you are out of state do an absentee vote. Sometimes I get so frustrated with people changing things like this, because it did not solve any issues with long lines as they reported on the news that the early voting turnout had long lines. And not to mention when we had a disruption in our cell service not too long ago a city nearby in IN had to shut it down...and this is where I can see possible technical issues coming from this voting option.
I am a people watcher and I watch trends. Maybe I will be wrong, but a part of me already can fortell what will happen. And I do not think I am the only one. On the Simpsons last night I watched as Homer fell victim to a voting scam in a booth from hell LOL. I had joked about this before on here and low and behold someone else must have been thinking the same thing.
What benefit can you see in early voting compared to voting on the normal day? Are you waiting to vote even though you had the chance to early vote? What are your thoughts on this new option when voting?
Luckily my state is not doing this that I am aware of. And even if they were I would not take part. I stick with traditions for the most part and I want to know as much as possible before I make a decision.
4 people like this
12 responses
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
4 Nov 08
I think it is good that in the US you have voting day during the week here in Australia we always have them on a Saturday and voting here is compulsary so it often ruins a good weekend...Do you get a holiday to go vote ot do you get time off from work to vote ????
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
4 Nov 08
There is no official voting holiday for that, nor do you really get time off to work although some employers are a bit lenient if the lunch hour is longer than usual. My husband works for the state and gets a full day off by state law for presidential elections and a half day for primaries and other elections. It's a luxury though, not everybody gets to enjoy this.
1 person likes this
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
4 Nov 08
it has been known for brides to go vote in their wedding dress here
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...1 person likes this
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
4 Nov 08
If your working hours interfere with polling hours than by law the place of employment has to allow you time to leave work to go vote in your district/precinct. It is always on a weekday, and I believe it has always been on the 1st Tuesday of November during elections.
This is the first year we have had the opportunity to vote before the actual election day scheduled.
I can see how voting on a weekend would ruin the weekend....with the lines and all. We tend to get used to those things during the week and look forward to a relaxing weekend don't we? Even when I work on weekends it is relaxing compareed to weekdays....but that is off subject.
Thanks for the response and I hope I answered your questions.
2 people like this
@BinaryKat (735)
• United States
4 Nov 08
I didn't do early voting this time around as I am a bit leery on this sort of thing. I was afraid my vote would not count or something lol. So to err on the side of caution, I am going to vote before heading to work. So if it does work out, then I would probably try next time.
1 person likes this
@EAStanley (2688)
• United States
4 Nov 08
Yes, I agree. I am a bit wary myself. I prefer to just vote on the actual Election Day if that is at all possible. But, if it proves to have worked this time around, then I might try it myself next time around! :)
1 person likes this
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
4 Nov 08
The benefit in early voting is reduce the lines on Nov. 4. No matter when the voting takes place there is plenty of opportunity for voter fraud starting with voter registration by biased groups that pay their workers by then number of voters they sign up. Even the obvious fake sign-ups such as Mickey Mouse, etc. often go quite far in the process and some even make it on the roles. The more subtle voter fraud of recently deceased legal voters or people taking the place of legitimate voters is a much more serious problem and early voting makes this easier. What I observed when I voted early was one loud mouth in effect escourting someone else who was obviously going to vote exactly as the loudmouth told him.
1 person likes this
@jonesy123 (3948)
• United States
4 Nov 08
Oh, I'm sure there will be some sort of complaints about this after the election. I heard a report today that if we would have 100% voter turn out in the nation, we wouldn't be equipped to handle it. As it is, it seem that even the prognosed higher than usual voter turn-out will be hard to handle. Early voting definitely eases the burden on that. It also allows more people to vote as not everybody has the time to vote just that one day and some people don't trust or are not familiar with the absentee voting. A downside is that people who voted so early might have changed their mind by now given the newest developments.
The worst problems are probably with Ohio, where you could register and vote at the same time. There'll be claims of faulty verification processes and so on.
Personally, I don't think they should allow for early voting other than through absentee voting. Everything else just creates too much of a chance of a legal aftermath.
1 person likes this
@ThirdMillion (604)
• United States
4 Nov 08
It may be a good idea. For one, they will be able to keep track of votes easily having control of them for longer hopefully making it faster to get the final elction numbers. Also, it may cut down on the lines we have to wait in to vote. I personally prefer to go the traditional route and vote on the 4th, but for others it seems to be the way to go. We'll see how it works out tomorrow. :)
1 person likes this
@mrsfred96 (85)
• United States
4 Nov 08
I think early voting is a bad idea. One can't help but think that something is going to go wrong somewhere. And why vote early anyhow? So many things seem to come out near the end of the campaign- don't people want to be fully informed about who and what they are voting for? We should just leave things alone- vote on election day or use an absentee ballot.The system has enough problems without this.
@Celanith (2327)
• United States
4 Nov 08
Here are the good reasons for voting early.
1. A lot of us Baby boomers don't see well at night to drive to our polling place and it is dark out and many like me have night blindness and do not drive well at night. So some who work cannot get off work until it is almost dark and by the time they get through the voting line it is full dark and it can be dangerous
2. Many of us live very rural and it is a 40 mile or 60 mile round trip to the voting place.
3. Health issues and problems are other reasons why
4. The media has every year for several years called the election a half hour after the polls close on the West Coast causing many voters choice to NOT ever be counted. In effect denying their vote. This is unfair and not equal rights. Turn it around how would you like voting to start on the west coast and end on the east and you just voted and get home and find out your vote for president won't get counted because the MEDIA already called it. This is unfair to Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Idaho, Hawaii. So that is why early voting
5. It takes less time to vote and shorter lines so votes get counted faster for those who want to vote at the polls. I like it and hope more states do it.
@taface412 (3175)
• United States
4 Nov 08
Well I know in my state by law employers have to allow you time to go vote if you would not get the chance to vote on a working day. My place of employment has never made a big deal about this and if that is the case then maybe you should take the proper steps to ensure you have that right to vote during the daytime if working.
And as for the media they have proven to me that for the najority they are biased and I have noticed that as of yesterday and today they are covering bases on both candidates to make them not seem so biased. I do not pay attention to the polls at all.
I just think when you throw in new things without fixing the problem all you are doing is possibly creating another problem....And of course this morning I had heard in some states there were problems with early voting and with voting machines today.
It does not lessen the lines as one of the responders have said here even though they were in favor of it...although I can see it may help out overall voting turnout. I just don't trust it and if my state ever does this I will not take part in it.
Thanks for your response and I am happy you voted.
@di1159 (1580)
• United States
4 Nov 08
It depends on where you live. I live in Miami and we do have early voting. The lines have been over 4 hours long in some places all throughout the early voting dates. I myself vote by absentee ballot and always wonder if they count it or throw it away. I guess I would wonder the same thing even I stood in line like everyone else. We need the early voting here, because there are way to many people and if they waited until today, we might just have to declare a holiday and shut down the city. Hope they count them all!
@Timothy31 (649)
• United States
4 Nov 08
I think its a good thing especially in this election. They are expecting such a great turnout that having the early voting should help with the wait later today. I think even with the early voting there will still be long lines though but hopefully not as bad as there would had there been no early voting.
@TessWhite (3146)
• United States
4 Nov 08
I can see the reason for it and for absentee ballots as well. For me its easier simply because I'm disabled. Have you seen some of the lines they are showing for people waiting to vote? And parking! One person said she had to park a mile away. Another said she stood in line outside an hour and a half just to get to the door of the building. I think it would be smarter for MORE people to vote early, or by absentee ballot for these reasons and for convenience. Oh, and another interesting thing today? It was my first time voting at this place. Luckily I am not so disabled I can't climb stairs - because I had to climb about 7 steps to the door of the building, and I didn't see any type of handicap ramp available.
@wujinbo (341)
• China
4 Nov 08
we all know that this voting is fault,and is scam.Present's election always moves under big bourgeoisie's benefit,you must see this point,regardless of being president also good governor also good all can obtain the seat under bourgeoisie's help,, thus they also in make the decision for the bourgeoisie.However this also because of the country different, but formally also will have differently.now you can see the so-called democracy in ths usa,it is so false a democratic institutions.look at all the voting is making people sick.........
