What do you mean "don't vote early!!!?"

[Charles L. Cotton]

I received an email from someone I will not identify, but some would know his name. He is calling for gun owners NOT to vote early and his reasoning is . . . well . . . it's faulty. He claims that something could happen between the time you vote early and the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 4th. If you've already voted, you'll be "locked out." He also claims that there's more of an impact if you vote on Nov. 4th, rather than during the early voting period.

Now do you see what I mean by "faulty" reasoning? This is hands down the worst advice I've ever read about voting!!! I've been voting age (21 when I was young) for 43 years. Let's see; during those 43 years has anything happened during the early voting period that would have changed my vote had I waited a few more days to vote in November? No, not one single time.

On the other hand, have I been sick, out of town, or for some other reason unable to vote on the first Tuesday in November? Why yes, many times. When I been forced to vote in November because I was out of town during the early voting period, have I ever seen 1) lines at the polls so long I was tempted to give up and go home; 2) others in line give up and go home; 3) problems with the voting machine that made the wait even longer; or 4) bad weather making it miserable to wait in line outside? The answer to all of these questions is "yes." Oh yeah, I have researched the subject extensively and have yet to find any indication that a vote cast on Nov. 4th counts more than one cast during the early voting period.

If you have the misfortune to read this terrible advice calling on you to wait until Nov. 4th to vote, then please ignore it and vote as soon as you can. Who knows, you may get sick, called out of town, run into broken voting machines, etc.

Chas.

[Jim Beaux]

Too late, I proudly hit it this morning!

[Texsquatch]

I agree 100%. Last election I was out of state during early voting and thought, "no problem, vote on election day." We'll, election day rolls around and due to some unexpected circumstances, I had to scramble to make it to the polling place. The main venue had a line out of the door and a lady in the parking lot said to go to the library, her husband just left and there was no line.

So I spread the word a bit to a few others and drive a few blocks and voted.

Also, I might add that I suggest that parents take your children with you. I have taken my son to vote, even as an infant and as he grew I explained each trip in ways he could understand so that he knew about why we vote. I want him to understand and exercise his duties as an American as he grows up.

[anygunanywhere]

Vote early and often like the dumbocrats.

Anygunanywhere

[C-dub]

When I vote wouldn't change my vote either.

Without knowing who this person is, do you think they were/are trying to suppress the "gun" vote?

[SC1903A3]

Aw shucks, voted after work today.

[puma guy]

I'm usually hunting during the November elections so I always vote early.

[Charles L. Cotton]

When I vote wouldn't change my vote either.

Without knowing who this person is, do you think they were/are trying to suppress the "gun" vote?

No, he just likes to be different so he'll have something to say.

Chas.

[MechAg94]

Having worked the elections for several years, I can see where this person's reasoning may be. This is what I've heard expressed by several supporters outside the boundary markers

if you vote early, you are tied to one party.. If there is a runoff election, you can only vote in the party in which you early voted for.. ?

How do people get general elections and primary elections confused?

[MotherBear]

Another reason to vote early: if there's a problem with your vote, you have more time to make sure it gets resolved. When I was 18 I went to vote in my first election, a city council race. I'd done my research and was excited to be voting for the first time. However, my family's home had been recently annexed and the computer records hadn't been updated. They made me vote provisionally. I called the county official in charge of the election and explained the situation, and asked that they be sure to check the updated records so my vote would be counted. Turned out that the election administrator (whose name I remember to this day) felt no need to actually check the records, and settled for the outdated computerized records. He threw out my vote. He later admitted that I should have been able to vote, but told the editor at the local paper that it was only three votes (mine and my parents') that got thrown out and therefore didn't really impact the outcome of the election. He never apologized or expressed any regret, nor did his supervisors when I contacted them hoping for some sort of action. It was a non-issue as far as anyone with the county was concerned. I am still appalled at the lack of due diligence regarding my vote, and the complete lack of concern the official and his office showed after the fact. If I recall correctly, city elections were generally getting maybe 4-5% voter turnout, and there I was 18 years old, having made sure I knew who I was voting for and why, and being told that my discarded vote didn't matter anyway. What a way to encourage young voters! Instead of letting it discourage me, I decided that will be the one and only time I miss an election. And I vote early, because if that ever happens again I will be at the official's office and in his face until my vote gets counted.

Also second what Texsquatch said -- take the kids! My kids go with me every time I vote, and on our way we talk about what voting is and why it's important. I remember going with my mom when she voted, and I even remember her hosting MUD elections in our home and volunteering at polling places.

[2farnorth]

I spent 20 years having to vote absentee because I was never stationed anywhere near my home of record. Then I was on the road for a number of years so voting in person was a rare luxury. Some years it was difficult to get the registration done and the ballot in my hands. A couple of times the ballots were sent too late to get counted because of election official or military screw ups. One of those times Carter got elected!
Now the ballot shows up at my house a few days after the request is mailed. It goes right back out in a day or two. It now seems natural to me and since I work every Tuesday it just makes sense.

[KD5NRH]

If I recall correctly, city elections were generally getting maybe 4-5% voter turnout, and there I was 18 years old, having made sure I knew who I was voting for and why, and being told that my discarded vote didn't matter anyway.

Having been a candidate in an election with pathetically small turnout, three votes wouldn't have come close to changing the outcome, but it would have been nice to see three more in my tally.

[OldGrumpy]

Charles I will go you one better. Wife and I both took advantage to absentee ballot available to those over 65, so I voter has already been in for about 10 days