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FakeNoose

(32,356 posts)
21. A mail-in vote isn't the same thing as an absentee vote
Mon May 25, 2020, 11:26 AM
May 2020

That's what is different about the 2020 election. There will be so many mailed-in votes that are NOT absentee. The voters are staying home rather than go to the polls because of the pandemic, or another reason.

In previous years voters had to QUALIFY for an absentee ballot for a specific reason - either you were traveling outside the state, or you were serving in the military, or you're a student at a far-away college, etc. Voters who qualified needed to apply for the absentee ballot 30 or 60 days in advance, and they had a certain window in which to mail back their ballots. The rules were so arcane and tricky so that many of the ballots could be discounted/disqualified if it turned out to be an embarrassing loss for the incumbents.

Absentee ballot management has not been a pretty story in the USA over the last 100 years. Many of those absentee ballots were ignored, lost or mishandled. All THAT needs to change! The tsunami of mailed-in ballots this year are finally shining a bright spotlight on how the local election boards are handling the entire situation in each county and each state.

Your comment about Ohio may have been true until this year - but I'm sure it's going to change, or it already has changed.



No surprise, might not be the only one. elleng May 2020 #1
As long as it gets done right. flying rabbit May 2020 #2
I am so with you on that!! Just count the ballots. It's the republicans that want to cheat. BComplex May 2020 #12
That is not a nightmare. DURHAM D May 2020 #3
Exactly TexasBushwhacker May 2020 #9
That's not generally the way it works. Ms. Toad May 2020 #4
I'm still hoping that there will be such a Blunami DavidDvorkin May 2020 #5
I'm in PA and I don't think it will be that close FakeNoose May 2020 #20
God, I hope you're right about him losing big there DavidDvorkin May 2020 #23
I agree DeminPennswoods May 2020 #24
I could easily vote in person because my polling place is 2 blocks from my house FakeNoose May 2020 #30
Our intelligence services say Russia's been working on stealing Hortensis May 2020 #25
Well, it's not a race, so... EarlG May 2020 #6
I think Oregon is all mail in Frances May 2020 #7
OR and WA are all vote by mail. Have been for years. CA is always slow... Wounded Bear May 2020 #18
There's some preliminary processing Retrograde May 2020 #29
apparently quite a few see this the same as I do stopdiggin May 2020 #8
Ohio has a rule that they don't even start counting absentee ballots LisaL May 2020 #10
That is not true more recently, we voted absentee in the primary and received notice that our Demsrule86 May 2020 #15
That rule is for general election. LisaL May 2020 #16
Actually it is up to the county...but they may not reveal the winner for a week as they did in the Demsrule86 May 2020 #27
A mail-in vote isn't the same thing as an absentee vote FakeNoose May 2020 #21
Thanks for this info. Mike 03 May 2020 #22
Not accurate for every state. LisaL May 2020 #31
Yes that's true FakeNoose May 2020 #32
My big concern about states switching to all mail-in voting Seasider May 2020 #11
Not a nightmare gristy May 2020 #13
In other words? HOLLY says make sure you VOTE! Brainfodder May 2020 #14
I'd rather have a correct number than a fast one. Hermit-The-Prog May 2020 #17
I'm not terribly worried about PA. I think we got it if we continue the GOTV efforts... Wounded Bear May 2020 #19
If the Chief Asshole EndlessWire May 2020 #26
Only a nightmare if Retrograde May 2020 #28
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