Are you ready? Early voting…

[neverfstop]

I’m going to be out of town on the day of the election & flying home. I normally do early voting anyway. I thought I would look into doing vote by mail just so I could do it and see the process. Apparently, in my state it’s only available to people 65 or older…. Isn’t that discrimination??? I want to vote by mail! lol

Just a reminder to start checking your registration due to the numerous voter roll purchase that have been happening as well as the early voting dates and deadlines!

Can’t wait to vote! LFG

[laterz]

I got my email reminder that i'm signed up for vote by mail and that they will be mailing my ballot. YAY!!

[Susie]

I wonder how many years away online voting is.  I mean, if I can file my 1040 with the IRS online and renew my passport online (currently in beta release), why not voting?  That will benefit Dems significantly.

[fernweh]

Our state voted in a law that anyone could vote by mail at any age a few years ago. I did vote by mail for the primaries in August. I’m debating if I want to for the general election. I kind of want to go and person and feel the energy but also I don’t want to wait for hours if it’s anything like 2008.

[ellipses84]

That is why voter suppression works! It’s ridiculous how difficult it is to vote in some states. When I was in a state that had early voting at limited locations or made you go to a specific location to vote on Election Day, I was always worried I would have a last minute work trip or issue come up preventing me from voting. Even if you could get an absentee ballot for a good reason, you had to do it in advance so there’d be no way to get one for a last minute reason.

The entire west coast is so easy to vote in, we almost take it for granted (and tons of people still don’t vote).

[ellipses84]

[mention]fernweh [/mention]

Can you go in person and turn in your mail-in ballot? We have boxes and everywhere but we can also turn them in at an actual voting location (and usually cut the line to hand it in).

Another option is to offer rides to the polls to people in your area on Election Day. If you don’t want to drive strangers you could ask if anyone you know (or their Grandma or neighbor) needs a ride

[dcn]

We vote absentee bc of military service and I requested our ballots this week!

[stuffandthings]

I already requested my absentee ballot last week!

[fernweh]

Aug 22, 2024 17:10:05 GMT -5 ellipses84 said:

[mention]fernweh [/mention]

Can you go in person and turn in your mail-in ballot? We have boxes and everywhere but we can also turn them in at an actual voting location (and usually cut the line to hand it in).

Another option is to offer rides to the polls to people in your area on Election Day. If you don’t want to drive strangers you could ask if anyone you know (or their Grandma or neighbor) needs a ride

That’s a fair point, yes we can take it to the polling location on Election Day. We also have drop boxes outside all city government buildings and early in person voting locations.

[pixy0stix]

Aug 22, 2024 14:51:42 GMT -5 Susie said:

I wonder how many years away online voting is.  I mean, if I can file my 1040 with the IRS online and renew my passport online (currently in beta release), why not voting?  That will benefit Dems significantly.

This won't happen in any state the Rs have a smidgen of power.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Aug 22, 2024 14:59:58 GMT -5 fernweh said:

Our state voted in a law that anyone could vote by mail at any age a few years ago. I did vote by mail for the primaries in August. I’m debating if I want to for the general election. I kind of want to go and person and feel the energy but also I don’t want to wait for hours if it’s anything like 2008.

I'm having this debate too. I really love voting in person on election day but also what if I'm in the hospital or deathly ill on election day?

[wambam]

It’s on my calendar! I don’t work Fridays so I’ll go the first Friday they start early voting.

[aurora]

I love love love living in a state where the default is vote by mail. (You can also vote in person if you want to.)

We also allow registration up to election day, though obviously you won't be mailed a ballot if you wait until that day.

[clairebear]

Aug 22, 2024 19:18:49 GMT -5 StrawberryBlondie said:

Aug 22, 2024 14:59:58 GMT -5 fernweh said:

Our state voted in a law that anyone could vote by mail at any age a few years ago. I did vote by mail for the primaries in August. I’m debating if I want to for the general election. I kind of want to go and person and feel the energy but also I don’t want to wait for hours if it’s anything like 2008.

I'm having this debate too. I really love voting in person on election day but also what if I'm in the hospital or deathly ill on election day?

My mother in law was home sick this Tuesday when we had our primary. She is doing early voting for the general to make sure she doesn't miss it. She's a Trumper so I kinda do want her to miss it! I love going in person and getting a sticker but the what ifs are going through my head. I can't miss voting!

[DarcyLongfellow]

I'm in Florida which is surprisingly awesome about this sort of thing. Anyone can vote by mail without giving a reason, and early voting is available for 2 weeks or so before every election. I haven't voted on election day in so long I'm not even sure where my actual polling location is because I always vote early at the library.

I'm kind of scared DeathSantis and his ilk will try to take away early voting and vote by mail, but enough of his/Trump's base must enjoy being able to vote easily because I've never seen it come up as an issue.

[chickadee77]

Aug 23, 2024 10:19:49 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

I'm in Florida which is surprisingly awesome about this sort of thing. Anyone can vote by mail without giving a reason, and early voting is available for 2 weeks or so before every election. I haven't voted on election day in so long I'm not even sure where my actual polling location is because I always vote early at the library.

I'm kind of scared DeathSantis and his ilk will try to take away early voting and vote by mail, but enough of his/Trump's base must enjoy being able to vote easily because I've never seen it come up as an issue.

I loved voting by mail in FL, especially being able to research every little thing on the ballot at my leisure.

The last year we lived there, they removed the ability to be able to mail in your ballot (had to drop it off at a specific place) which sucked, but maybe that was specific to the pandemic?

KY seems to discourage vote by mail, but they make it pretty easy to vote in person (so far - haven't been here for a Presidential election since Obama/McCain). 🤞

[DarcyLongfellow]

Aug 23, 2024 11:50:30 GMT -5 chickadee77 said:

I loved voting by mail in FL, especially being able to research every little thing on the ballot at my leisure.

The last year we lived there, they removed the ability to be able to mail in your ballot (had to drop it off at a specific place) which sucked, but maybe that was specific to the pandemic?

KY seems to discourage vote by mail, but they make it pretty easy to vote in person (so far - haven't been here for a Presidential election since Obama/McCain). 🤞

That's weird, I don't remember not being allowed to mail it in. Maybe it was a county-level change. I know in 2020 a lot of organizations were encouraging you to use drop boxes instead of mailing it in to reduce the chances of it getting lost (or "lost"). I always drop mine in a drop box, then obsessively check the website to make sure they accept and count my vote. I know they like to take issue with how you sign your name, so I keep waiting for them to make me cure my ballot by proving it was my signature.

I agree -- I love being able to take my time when I fill out my ballot.

[sju]

Aug 23, 2024 10:19:49 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

I'm in Florida which is surprisingly awesome about this sort of thing. Anyone can vote by mail without giving a reason, and early voting is available for 2 weeks or so before every election. I haven't voted on election day in so long I'm not even sure where my actual polling location is because I always vote early at the library.

I'm kind of scared DeathSantis and his ilk will try to take away early voting and vote by mail, but enough of his/Trump's base must enjoy being able to vote easily because I've never seen it come up as an issue.

Ditto

I have checked my registration a couple times because DeSantis crap gives me anxiety. I have always voted by mail and half joke with H that I don’t know how to vote in person. Lol

[heygrey]

I requested my absentee ballot for citizens abroad!


I missed my very first election in Canada because our whole house had covid. There are early voting hours, but I didn't prioritize it, having no reason to believe I couldn't pop out to the polls Saturday morning. Until I get a positive test on Friday. Thankfully it was a local election and most candidates were running uncontested so my vote really did not matter. It was a good lesson to always choose early polling if it's available!

[sakoro]

Aug 23, 2024 15:44:00 GMT -5 sju said:

Aug 23, 2024 10:19:49 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

I'm in Florida which is surprisingly awesome about this sort of thing. Anyone can vote by mail without giving a reason, and early voting is available for 2 weeks or so before every election. I haven't voted on election day in so long I'm not even sure where my actual polling location is because I always vote early at the library.

I'm kind of scared DeathSantis and his ilk will try to take away early voting and vote by mail, but enough of his/Trump's base must enjoy being able to vote easily because I've never seen it come up as an issue.

Ditto

I have checked my registration a couple times because DeSantis crap gives me anxiety. I have always voted by mail and half joke with H that I don’t know how to vote in person. Lol

Im writing postcards for the Postcards to Voter organization. The current campaign is to write to Florida Vote by Mails registered democrats reminding them to renew their status now. Some Florida counties will no longer mail your ballot to an out of state address. So you’d have to register at your Florida address and get someone to retrieve the mail-in ballot for you so that you can complete it and mail it back by Election Day.

[chickadee77]

Aug 23, 2024 13:42:37 GMT -5 DarcyLongfellow said:

Aug 23, 2024 11:50:30 GMT -5 chickadee77 said:

I loved voting by mail in FL, especially being able to research every little thing on the ballot at my leisure.

The last year we lived there, they removed the ability to be able to mail in your ballot (had to drop it off at a specific place) which sucked, but maybe that was specific to the pandemic?

KY seems to discourage vote by mail, but they make it pretty easy to vote in person (so far - haven't been here for a Presidential election since Obama/McCain). 🤞

That's weird, I don't remember not being allowed to mail it in. Maybe it was a county-level change. I know in 2020 a lot of organizations were encouraging you to use drop boxes instead of mailing it in to reduce the chances of it getting lost (or "lost"). I always drop mine in a drop box, then obsessively check the website to make sure they accept and count my vote. I know they like to take issue with how you sign your name, so I keep waiting for them to make me cure my ballot by proving it was my signature.

I agree -- I love being able to take my time when I fill out my ballot.

It was probably county-specific. Collier went really weird during covid (probably still is) whereas friends of mine in Lauderdale/Miami didn't have the same issues. I remember it was a huge hassle because there was only, like, one drop box in the county and *everybody* (in my personal blue bubble) was pissed about the change.

[mofongo]

We will be early voting, it’s surprisingly easy here. We have two weddings in PR bookending the election week, so we won’t be here.

[fumbalina]

Every time I vote early, it gets marked provisional. It makes me choose to go on election Day even if it is a small risk. Of course my work being a polling place makes that easy. I do appreciate not having to find the right location any more. The last time that was a requirement it took seven locations and a very kind poll worker to figure out where to go.

[neverfstop]

NC starts Friday! LFG....

Here's a cool map of all the states & when they start.

www.axios.com/2024/09/05/key-election-dates-september-2024?

Breaking it down: Five states begin in-person early voting in September: Pennsylvania (Sept. 16), Minnesota (Sept. 20), Virginia (Sept. 20), Vermont (Sept. 21), and Illinois (Sept. 26).

Some states like Minnesota and Vermont will begin both in-person and absentee voting this month, whereas others have different timelines for the two early voting methods.
North Carolina is set to be the first state to mail absentee ballots, but won't begin in-person voting until mid-October. Michigan will be the last swing state to begin early in-person voting, just over a week before Election Day.
Federal law requires absentee ballots for overseas and military voters to be mailed out 45 days before the election — on Sept. 21.

[sju]

I went down a rabbit hole under the Fl Div of Elections, and found a report showing the first two votes by mail in FL. Reported by Suwannee Co, one registered republican and one npa (I assume a vote for Trump due to the area). countyballotfiles.floridados.gov/VoteByMailEarlyVotingReports/PublicStats

I have been looking at more official statistics because I have come across several videos talking about FL having hope. There are over a million more registered republicans than democrats, and to note, there were more democrats In 2008. DeSantis has been attracting more of his kind, unfortunately. I have met a few. One positive though, I have not really seen any political signs in my area. I believe in 2020, I had seen lots of Trump flags around by this point.

Enough rambling.

[stuffandthings]

I voted today!

Wisconsin mailed their absentee ballots out this week. I received mine this morning and immediately filled it out. It’ll be out for the mail carrier on Monday morning.

So at least one is in the bank for Harris in WI!

[heyyounotyouyou]

I’m in CA and I’ve never voted in person. Always voted by mail. I’m not even sure I’d know where to go!

[klee23]

Sept 5, 2024 6:20:24 GMT -5 neverfstop said:

NC starts Friday! LFG....

Here's a cool map of all the states & when they start.

www.axios.com/2024/09/05/key-election-dates-september-2024?

Breaking it down: Five states begin in-person early voting in September: Pennsylvania (Sept. 16), Minnesota (Sept. 20), Virginia (Sept. 20), Vermont (Sept. 21), and Illinois (Sept. 26).

Some states like Minnesota and Vermont will begin both in-person and absentee voting this month, whereas others have different timelines for the two early voting methods.
North Carolina is set to be the first state to mail absentee ballots, but won't begin in-person voting until mid-October. Michigan will be the last swing state to begin early in-person voting, just over a week before Election Day.
Federal law requires absentee ballots for overseas and military voters to be mailed out 45 days before the election — on Sept. 21.

I live in PA and early voting has never been a thing here. I clicked on the article and the link for PA was broken. I then googled to see if early voting was approved in PA (which would be shocking with a heavily conservative state assembly)... and it mentions that you can request an in person mail in ballot and fill it out on site, one location per county. This option isn't being mentioned or encouraged by my country democratic committee either (mail in, yes, but not early in person). Heck, the ballots for my county aren't even printed yet and we're days into early voting.

When I hear early voting I assume it means actual polling locations.

ETA- it doesn't look like any counties have ballots ready yet. apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-early-voting-september-16-mail-ballots-edbcfb03d28a2bfdadd70ba6bbe28a3b

[glw]

I got an email that my ballot is on the way!
I think I'm going to take it to a dropbox rather than return by mail because our mail service is terrible and I don't trust it to get there.

[fernweh]

My absentee ballot was mailed out yesterday! Can’t wait to get it and fill in those bubbles!