Where has early voting started? I hope it includes swing states?
Why is early voting allowed?
Do juries get to vote before the two parties rest? NO they do not. And why not? Because hearing all the evidence is crucial to a proper decision.
Is the ideal of a thoughtful electorate a myth? Of course it is. But so is all ceremonial deference to any sovereign. It reinforces the legitimacy of the state to show respect to its foundations, which in this case is the American electorate.
Allowing people to vote BEFORE the candidates are finished having their say is to say, "We recognize that there are lots of people who minds are made up before they hear from the enemy". This reinforces the idea of a divided society, one where no one has to listen to disagreement, where NOTHING the other side does or says has meaning.
While there are cases, perhaps many cases, where this is true, to treat the electorate AS A WHOLE this way is profoundly disrespectful.
Why not just have everybody vote electronically right after the conventions?
And what does it tell you that Hillary Clinton has promised to REQUIRE every state to allow early voting?
I don’t know, particularly, but I’ve heard 26 states?
I don’t believe early voting has started yet, but ballots have been printed up in some states. Minnesota and Vermont start earliest, I think, in about a week.