Anyone excited about OCTOBER 16 - One Stop Early Voting and Registration Opens in NC!

[walidm]

Originally Posted by MommyV

Does early voting really count? I was told by an active political volunteer that sometimes the early votes are not counted. Does anyone have any knowledge of how this works?

WOW! Who told you this? I would contact my election official. All votes are counted and if a political volunteer isn't up to date you may wish to help them give out the most accurate information.

[Weedydidi]

Originally Posted by Petro2008

WEll, when you have a traveling husband and 3 kids...sometimes voting early is a great option!

I've had a traveling husband and three kids. I still managed to vote.

[Weedydidi]

Originally Posted by diertac

The right to cast a vote is indeed a wonderful thing. On what, exactly, do you base your moral outrage about offering people the ability to vote early if it works best for them?

Early voting is a great thing for the security guard who has to work a 12 hour shift, or the mother who has kids to take care of. I do not understand people who want to make it harder for everyone in our country to have their voices heard.

Um....I believe I already stated that I based it on The Constitution. Ever heard of it? Check it out. Lots of neat stuff in it!

I don't want to make it harder. When did I say I want to make it harder?

What I DID say was that people should quit the whining about voting and be grateful and honored that they have such a precious right. Jobs and children don't keep people from going to the grocery store, so they don't keep people from voting.

[diertac]

Originally Posted by Weedydidi

Um....I believe I already stated that I based it on The Constitution. Ever heard of it? Check it out. Lots of neat stuff in it!

Oh, an insult. How precious.

Since you believe yourself to be such a knowledgeable scholar, surely you also realize that the Constitution is a living document, which can be amended directly, or by state Constitutions? While it spells out a day for voting that was most useful in a time when people traveled, often for days, by horse and carriage to a polling place, states also have a right to allow for early voting.

If you wish to continue ranting and harboring a grudge against people that you don't think should have the right to vote if they can't stand in line long enough for something like a 12 hour window on one day, then by all means, feel free to have at it on your own.

I, however, won't join you, as I appreciate state's exercising their rights to allow early voting and the ability it offers to ensure everyone has a voice and a vote.

[carolinablue]

Why are people getting upset about early voting, its a good thing. The more votes the better.

[WordWrangler]

Early voting is an excellent thing. The first year we lived here we voted on election day, first thing early in the morning and waited in line for two hours. We were surprised at it, but you know, bigger city, whatever. But when the next election came up and they instituted early voting (or maybe we hadn't heard of it the previous time?) we tried that and stood in line for two hours. LOL But at least that two hours was on a Saturday and we got to go out to brunch after. Then the last two times, we've gotten there early (both on election day and one year on an early voting day) and went right in, maybe ten minutes wait. My husband is often out of town for a week to three weeks at a time and often must leave with less than a day's notice. He enjoys being able to use his right to vote knowing he may be several states away when election day comes.

And who was whining about waiting? Giving information that you might expect a long line isn't whining. It's informing someone who might be new. Sounded to me that the OP was excited about voting. As someone whose father and grandfather served during two wars, I must say that I'm appalled anyone would use that service in an attempt to shame someone who is excited about USING their right to vote.

[mm34b]

I think 23 states now have early voting.

[marvinnative]

I am a long-time precinct worker. I work the polls on election day and I will be working an early voting precinct this year. I can tell you that, indeed, all early voting ballots DO count, (as long as your registration checks out to be valid. If you are both registering and voting on the same day, the Election Board will verify your registration information before your ballot is certified.) No ballots are "counted" until election day. (So, no information about how the voting is going is available). Early voting is considered "in-person" absentee voting and is counted along with all the mail-in absentee voting at the Elections Office.

What the person you heard from MIGHT have been referring to was "provisional" ballots. A provisional ballot occurs on Election Day when you show up to vote and the election workers cannot find you on their approved registered voter list. You are allowed to vote "Provisional" until the Election Board has a chance to research your claim that you SHOULD be an approved voter (for example, you registered at the DMV and for some reason your spouses registration went through, but yours didn't - a common complaint). If the Election Board can find this to be true, then your vote would be counted. Provisional voters are given a sheet with a phone number to call to find out if the Election Board counted their "provisional" ballot. If you come to Early Voting, problems can be resolved in time for you to vote. If you wait until Election Day, you will have missed your chance to resolve them in time to vote this election.

I can tell you that we are expecting a HUGE turn-out this year. Please, please, take advantage of Early Voting, and the sooner the better (the last few days of early voting will be just as crazy as election day). Even better, request an Absentee Ballot that you can vote at home at your convenience (you don't need a reason, anyone can get one). Just be sure you follow the instructions and return it before the deadline.

[marvinnative]

Originally Posted by Petro2008

I think early voting is great. I remember my first year here in Union County...I waited in line for 6 hours...NO JOKE...6 hours to vote. After I got home, DH went and he waited for 6 house. ITwas crazy! I'll definitley be doing early voting again this year if I can.

Ah, yes! I definitely remember that year. That had more to do with the population explosion in Western Union County and the lack of voting machines available that year. In a county that has had explosive growth, the County Commissioners have the hard task of deciding whether to spend the tax dollars on schools or voting machines. Since no one really worries about voting machines until election day (really only election day during presidential elections), it is hard to justify the expense of so many extra machines. But, as soon as voters have to be inconvenienced by waiting in line to vote, then everyone is demanding something be done about it. So, something has been done about it - the opportunity to vote early should spread out the crush of voters. Please, voters, take advantage of this privilege. It costs the taxpayers a lot of money to man these early voting precincts. If you want them to continue to be available, please show your County Commissioners that you will use them.

[Asheville Native]

Not sure I would say excited, but I do plan to avail myself of the convenience of early voting. I've used it since it was introduced in NC.

Nor would I give any credence to scare tactics of some 'active political volunteer' has to say about the votes not counting.

And I absolutely have no understand of the reasoning behind those here that try to disparage anyone voting, be it on their precious election day, or in early voting. Voting is the important thing, and your condescending attitude does not become you.