US voters, are you voting early?
By Marie Coyle
@MarieCoyle (38744)
October 29, 2024 4:14pm CST
Please note--I am not asking who you are voting for!
I was curious as to how many people have voted early, or plan to, this week. I did vote early. My reasoning in it was a bit strange but...it was better than not voting at all.
As most of you know, my son is ill, I felt it was better to vote while I had the chance, as he could be needing my care and attention on the actual Election Day. Reason #1. The other reason..it's precautionary.
At one point, i was an election judge. I stopped and withdrew from it when my son had his accident, things were really iffy here even at the 2020 election, with guards, etc. due to threats of violence. I am needed, so I felt it was best to keep myself safe.
Many, many election judges here in the US, and other election officials, have been threatened with violence over this election. Our county had to scramble to get enough judges to cover the ones who withdrew, fearing violence and threats. And yes, when I voted there were 2 guards, one at the entrance and one inside.
I felt rather bad not doing my duty thing. But I would be very missed by my children if I didn't survive the election, so...i didn't do my duty.
Maybe I will again, some day.
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15 people like this
16 responses
@kaylachan (71837)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 Oct
I've never voted much less in-person. Even though I did register when I turned 18 for school credit. I moved a year later for safety. Never re-registered. So, call me ignorat, but what's an election Judge. I think I have an idea, but I also know when to ask question. Color me curious.
2 people like this
@kaylachan (71837)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
30 Oct
@MarieCoyle I can bet most of those hot heads didn't pay attention in high school. What I know about voting is based on what I learned in high school. Although I also learned that absentee voting (at least in my state) isn't accessable. I could read the ballots online, but I'd still have to print them, fill them out and mail them. Print, sure.... but fill out.. I can't do. Yet the machines they use today talk apparently with headphones they provide if you go in-person.
I don't really have plans to re-register or vote this election. I have my reservations about the whole voting process. And, no. I know that the votes can't be rigged by workers. But, based on how voting works....there's plenty of others that can and will vote. George and I don't have to be among them.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
30 Oct
Basically, you man a laptop, check people to be sure they are registered, They find your name and sign you in to vote, and if there is a problem with a registration, they deal with it by telling you what and such...it's amazing how many people show up to vote but have never registered to vote at all. They teach all of that in school, of course, but evidently people forget.
Unfortunately, there are presently a lot of hotheads out there that think election workers are all out to change ballots, etc. which of course is not possible, for the most part most ballots are done by computer now, but the option remains to do it on paper and put it in the machine yourself to be counted--and when you do, it says ''you voted, your votes are counted'' and that's it.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
30 Oct
@kaylachan
My grandparents, aunt, and Dad were big on voting and stressed it with us, so I guess it stuck. Oh, if you are a registered voter and you have vision issues, you can bring a ''seeing''helper of your own choice, or you can have a worker help you. I've seen both done. And yes, they do have the talk to vote thing available as well, so people who need it have a lot of choices.
1 person likes this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
29 Oct
Yes, I'm planning to vote this week. Much like you, I'd rather get it out of the way while I can instead of running into an issue on Election Day and not getting the opportunity to vote.
2 people like this
@spiderdust (14760)
• San Jose, California
29 Oct
@MarieCoyle It's been a heck of a year. 
We're doing ok, I'm going to be a grandma soon!
We're doing ok, I'm going to be a grandma soon!3 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
29 Oct
@spiderdust Wow,a Grandma!!! You aren’t old enough to be one yet!! But hey, it’s happening so my best congratulations to you and your family!
I have to agree that it’s been a truly hellacious year.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
29 Oct
Hi, Kelli!
Where ya been, girl? Haven't seen you here in a long time! Hope all is well with you and your family.
Yes, this year seems to be a good year to just take the precautions and vote early.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
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29 Oct
I guess it depends on where you are, were there any threats, etc. I just hope no one is hurt, or violence isn't present on Election Day, anywhere!
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (182253)
• United States
29 Oct
I'm not. I kind of enjoy voting on the day of. I will try to remember to wear my election day sweater if I can find it. The only times I don't vote on the day of...is when I work the elections as I have done several times. Not as a poll worker, but an exit poller or to call in the votes from the county to the media.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
29 Oct
I understand wanting to go on the day of the election. I just didn’t think it was my best option this time, I will miss seeing the people.
1 person likes this
@LovesEverybody (4388)
• United States
30 Oct
@snowy22315 What does your election day sweater look like?
2 people like this
@snowy22315 (182253)
• United States
30 Oct
@LovesEverybody Oh it is basically a flag sweater with stars and stripes on it. It should be warmish that day..a light sweater would be perfect.
2 people like this
@much2say (56114)
• Los Angeles, California
30 Oct
@MarieCoyle I saw that too - crazy times! How is anyone to know if their ballots were destroyed . . . and do they get to place their votes in again?
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
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29 Oct
I heard on the news that someone set fires in ballot boxes...I believe in Oregon and Washington state. I hope they are caught!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
31 Oct
@much2say
I heard a bit of it on the news today. The FBI took the boxes...they have identified all of the votes but a very few, as they were not destroyed. They are sending them to a forensics lab in hopes of figuring out the rest of them.
I do hope this doesn't become a trend in the next week...ugh.
1 person likes this
@porwest (92666)
• United States
2 Nov
I always vote on election day. Call me a cantankerous curmudgeon, but I don't trust voting any other way or any other day. My vote is very important to me, of course. To me, it doesn't matter when someone else chooses to vote. But I think some of this early voting, mail in ballots, and other methods simply leave too much room for things to go wrong and for people to cheat and I don't like it.
Voting day is November 5th for me, or whatever the date is that the Tuesday voting day falls on.
1 person likes this
@porwest (92666)
• United States
6 Nov
@MarieCoyle I do like that there is a push to make voting more accessible. At the same time, it also opens things up to more potential fraud which is why I mostly oppose it. But moreso regarding mail in ballots than in person early voting.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
7 Nov
@porwest
Some people are homebound due to health and cannot go out and vote. Mail in ballots are their only option. I am glad that it's available to those who need it.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
2 Nov
I rather like the in-person, early voting. The machine you are used to feeding your ballot in to, it's the same. Everything is the same as it is on Election Day. I felt I had no choice but to do early voting once again, as my son's condition is not predictable--I didn't want to wait until Tuesday, and then not be able to vote at all.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (108244)
• Marion, Ohio
30 Oct
We will go on Tuesday. Our area has always been safe here thankfully. Only one sheriff watching. I hope that doesn't change.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
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30 Oct
I hope it doesn't change and that it's all safe, Eva!
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
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30 Oct
That's how I felt about it all, too. No matter what, family is first with me. I truly hope there is no trouble, as well. Thank you, Judy.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (104214)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
29 Oct
My relatives and myself plan to vote early.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (104214)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
29 Oct
@MarieCoyle The last thing I need is to vote on Election Day with a large line.
2 people like this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
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29 Oct
@Deepizzaguy
I had a few people ahead of me today, but nothing like Election Day is, so I was glad.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
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29 Oct
I honestly think this is the best plan at the present time.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (181821)
• United States
30 Oct
I voted early through Absentee Ballot. I also made out my husband's ballot (he told me who/what to vote for); and he signed it. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
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31 Oct
That's good, you got it over and done with and don't have to worry about it.
1 person likes this
@LovesEverybody (4388)
• United States
30 Oct
hypothetically, what if a person votes early and then on election day changes their mind about the person they wants to be president? does that mean a candidate gets a vote from a person who didn't mean to vote for them?
That is another reason i don't vote
1 person likes this
@MarieCoyle (38744)
•
31 Oct
If a person doesn't vote, I feel they are missing out on one of their rights as a citizen. I have always voted. But in the end, it's your choice.
1 person likes this
@LovesEverybody (4388)
• United States
1 Nov
@MarieCoyle I just feel it is too big of a responsibility. I can barely take care of myself without my sister who i call my assistant and my peer and case manager. the fact that people expect me to help me choose the president gives me anxiety attacks.
My parents voted, my sister and her husband votes too. I believe my nephew is voting for his first presidential election. he voted the other elections last year. I don't know if he will know how to get to the voting place as he is in college in upstate New York for his first semester studying chemical engineering
1 person likes this
@LovesEverybody (4388)
• United States
1 Nov
@MarieCoyle I talked to my sister and they tried to get my nephew to vote by something called a mail in ballot. but it got very complicated and my nephew and his parents decided he won't vote this year.
However, on another note, he called my sister during trick-or-treating and he took a test in his Calculus 2 course and he had a PERFECT PAPER! If you could see my face now- hours after my sister's call I have an ear-to-ear grin!
@MarieCoyle (38744)
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30 Oct
I truly do like that idea. I do have to say, where I live we have absolutely terrible mail service. We often get our bills delivered to us AFTER they are due, so a person has to be proactive and remember to pay them before they are overdue. However, it's so common here now, many places do not charge a late fee. They know most people who get their bills in a timely manner, pay them on time, too.
1 person likes this
@thislittlepennyearns (62930)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
29 Oct
We are already done voting!
1 person likes this
