Early Voting

Heatherj43

Today was the first time I heard of "early voting". We have "absentee voting" here, but not early voting.
When did this start? Whats the history of why they started it? What do you think of it?

I am still shocked, so I better keep my first thoughts to myself until I learn more about it.
I so wish the entire US all used the same machines, types of abilty to vote, etc., a uniformed policy so to speak. I think that would be more fair in national elections, or maybe someone can enlighten me as to why its okay to have such great variances across the nation.

Hope&Anger

Heatherj43 wrote:

Today was the first time I heard of "early voting". We have "absentee voting" here, but not early voting.
When did this start? Whats the history of why they started it? What do you think of it?

I am still shocked, so I better keep my first thoughts to myself until I learn more about it.
I so wish the entire US all used the same machines, types of abilty to vote, etc., a uniformed policy so to speak. I think that would be more fair in national elections, or maybe someone can enlighten me as to why its okay to have such great variances across the nation.

Voting is traditionally a local concern -- up to the states for the most part. And when you think about it, you wind up voting in a ton more local elections than you do in any election that's for a federal office.

While the federal government has tried to regulate voting -- the Voting Rights Act protecting minority voters, for example -- for the most part, the feds keep out of it.

In the aftermath of the 2000 Fiasco -- but before 9/11, of course -- there was some weakass legislation to try to give states resources to make voting more uniform. But that didn't get very far, so we have this crazy quilt of different voting technologies and ID requirements and registration requirements -- all of which are designed to suppress turnout rather than promote it.

If you want better voting, go to the county clerk or the Secretary of State for the state you live in. Sadly, it's not the kind of issue that gets people excited . . . except when they're going to vote.

ThumbingMyWay32

Hope&Anger wrote:

In the aftermath of the 2000 Fiasco -- but before 9/11, of course -- there was some weakass legislation to try to give states resources to make voting more uniform. But that didn't get very far, so we have this crazy quilt of different voting technologies and ID requirements and registration requirements -- all of which are designed to suppress turnout rather than promote it.

I agree that there should be a uniform technique of voting, and that there is voter fraud. But, due to being human, I've never really had any problems figuring out the voting process. I'm almost fry my brain at times trying to figure out just what goes wrong in some of these precincts. I blame most voting failures on the uninformed, or those unable to distinguish the letter D from the letter R, or maybe this is just a reflection of our education system.

Secondly, there is absolutely nothing wrong with American citizens being forced to prove that they are American citizens. After all, these people are voting for candidates who are running for office within the American political system. Show up, show your ID. It's simple.

As for any of this being a way to supress voter turnout... It doesn't make any sense. If the democrats believe this to be voter supression, then I hope they take power. Because if they are truly serious about this issue, then they'll raise our taxes, pass legislation, and have the tax payer pay for everyones ID. Democracy at it's finest, right?