Why I don't cast my vote in person [View all]

[CreekDog]

I think people should be able to cast their votes in person or by mail, on Election Day or on another day and my county offers that to all voters.

With that said, I haven't voted in person for 11 years and here is why:

1) It helps the campaigns I support. I've been a volunteer many times and submitting an absentee ballot, and early gets me off the campaign's to do list, saving them calls and energy to get me out to vote that can be used for people who it would truly be effective in getting them to actually vote.

2) The length of the ballot simply means I can research each item and candidate and fill it out carefully and slowly at home.

3) I don't work near my polling place, so I either have to leave later for work or if I get delayed in the city during the day, risk losing my chance to vote at all by doing it after work. There are train delays and other things that can cause one to get home far later than planned here in the Bay Area.

4) I have submitted my vote by mail ballot in person on election day many times, but I think it's still preferable because I don't take up time in the booths, so that those in line don't need to wait for me.

Yes, I was at one time, "old fashioned" and voted in person and remember my first presidential election, loved voting in person. It was historic and felt very "citizeny". But then in 2003, we had a 3 page ballot for governor and I wasn't going to deal with that in the voting booth.

There is also a mention that absentee ballots are counted after the rest of the votes, but not quite. In California, the absentees are actually counted first unless they are dropped off on election day. The first numbers out of California are usually almost all absentees and until Democrats started voting more absentee, the early numbers were overwhelmingly Republican, but Democratic voting by mail has narrowed that and the early numbers are much better.

Whatever way you want to vote, I support that, but keep in mind that your campaigns are busy and they don't really know if you're going to turn out on Election Day. You can stay off their to do lists by voting early, and you can stay out of voting lines and help make them shorter. And if something comes up on Election Day, emergency travel, illness, etc., your ballot and vote are assured if you've done it already.