Question about early voting

[gop4lyf]

When are early votes counted? Are they only counted if a race is within a certain percentage? I have always voted the day of, but I have been wondering what happens to the early and mail-in votes.

[cripplecreek]

I was watching Ken Blackwell on FOX yesterday and he said its different in every state. In Ohio they’re counted on election day with the rest of the ballots but I got the impression that in other states they’re treated as provisional and aren’t counted unless the vote is close.

I’ll vote on election day thank you.

[gdani]

In Ohio, they're all counted the same. The only difference is obviously when they were cast.

I can't imagine it being any different in other states with early voting. Otherwise, why would anyone vote early and risk being disenfranchised?

[wrench]

In my county, they are opened and counted as received

[Strategerist]

but I got the impression that in other states they’re treated as provisional and aren’t counted unless the vote is close.

This is a weird urban myth; I have no idea how it got started but I see it all the time. It's false everywhere.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

In my county, they are opened and counted as received

Yeah...no chance for abuse using that protocol.

[cripplecreek]

[Swede Girl]

I must have been asleep when some of the states decided to allow early voting. How does this make sense? It could only have been encouraged by democrats as they will benefit by this.....just like motor voter, which is simply a way to get the dumb and lazy potential democrat voters to sign up easily because, otherwise, they would never have the intelligence or initiative to sign up on their own.

Early voting should not be allowed except for an absentee ballot. Voting day is November 6th and that should be the only voting day. Otherwise, voters can be swayed by daily events that may cause an emotional reaction. It takes away the importance of that one day that should be taken seriously by the voter.

Heck, why not vote just any day of the year! In fact let's allow Christmas Day to be any day of the year that people want, or maybe Labor Day can be any day that individuals choose. Whatever feels good, dude!

[cripplecreek]

It was the impression that I got from Ken Blackwell.

[cripplecreek]

If it were up to me I would eliminate early voting and make very strict rules for absentee voting. (Military, people who travel for work, and shut ins)

[knittnmom]

Absentee ballots in WI are delivered to the voter’s normal polling place on election day by the city clerk. They are then opened, compared to the voter list, given a number, and fed into the machine. Two polling officials are required to process each, in an attempt to keep things honest. Absentee ballot numbers are prefixed with “A” in the voter list book.

[gdani]

I must have been asleep when some of the states decided to allow early voting. How does this make sense?

In Ohio, it makes the jobs of the boards of elections much easier as there's no longer an onslaught of voters on traditional election day.

No onslaught also means no more hours-long lines on election day, as we've experienced in the past.

I voted early in 2011 & liked it. No muss, no fuss, no lines.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

In the small town that I lived in they went all absentee. The state of Oregon is entirely absentee. I think that is the way to go
Saves a lot of expense and mass confusion.

[rapture-me]

In Texas, Early votes are counted on election day.

[KevinDavis]

I’m going to be voting early.. I like it. No line at all. Besides my mind is made up..

[deport]

In New Jersey you can vote by mail with no excuse needed. Not sure when that went into effect.

http://www.nj.gov/state/elections/voting-information-vote-by-mail.html

...
In New Jersey, any voter can now vote by mail in any election. You do not need a reason to Vote by Mail. Don’t feel like going to the polls? Simply vote by mail. Now there is “no excuse” not to vote!
....

[firefox]

TOOO BAD THERE MIGHT BE LONG LINES! PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE THIS MOST IMPORTANT RIGHT SERIOUSLY.

If you have a hardship or valid excuse, file for absentee voting.Early voting primarily benefits the Democrats so they can judge how much of a voter margin they need to manufacture. (e.g. The Kennedy-Nixon election and Mayor Daley of Chicago)
What if a candidate performs some disqualifying action between early voting and the actual election?

Needless to say I am NOT in favor of early voting at all! I am in favor of absentee voting with an excuse. Then, at least, there is documentation to use for verification

Early voting was propelled by the message that everyone needs to vote. This mantra got us in trouble in 2008. Let those who understand citizenship be the ones to exercise the vote.

[CharlesWayneCT]

I wonder how they make sure the people who vote early still live in the state and are alive on election day.