I like to vote on election day. I entered my compound, waiting in line with other voters, marking my ballot paper, wearing a “I voted” sticker … the whole process fills me (unhealthy amount) of civic pride.
As much as I enjoy the routine, I decided I was going to vote early from now on. Many states offer early voting, By mail or in person, and I have found many compelling reasons to prefer early voting over voting on Election Day.
Fast and convenient
Voting on Election Day usually means waiting in line. The longest I had to wait for was an hour and a half, which is nothing compared to what some people go through.
Compare this to an early vote: If you vote by mail, there is no need to wait. My country also offers personal early voting and there is no waiting for it; It’s like stretching Election Day for weeks so that there is very little traffic at any given moment.
Contingency plans
Election day is Latest A day when you can vote. Keeping your vote for that day is like postponing homework until the night before. If something goes wrong, your chance to vote may be lost.
What happens if you show up and it turns out you had to sign up long before? What if you brought the wrong documentation with you and there is no time to go back and get it? What if a family emergency arises, or you yourself are so ill that you can not make time for a vote?
There are all sorts of ways life can confuse you on Election Day. On the other hand, if you vote early, you have more opportunities to vote, and if something goes wrong you can catch mistakes and correct them.
Campaigns will ignore you
In general, voting records are public information, allowing campaigns to track who voted early.
Campaigns knowing that you have already voted are a victory for everyone: First, it allows campaigns to target voters who have not yet submitted a ballot. And secondly, campaigns (if they are on the issues) will stop harassing you about voting if they know your vote has already been cast. For example, when I knocked on the door in previous elections, the apps we used would tell me when a person had already voted so I could skip near his house.
Avoid an epidemic
I’m still arranging my election day this year by working instead of the ballot box. Survey workers are older and therefore more sensitive to COVID-19. Since I’m in my 30s, I thought I can help fill in the blanks.
However, just because I have less chance of getting a severe reaction, I still want to avoid COVID-19! In my opinion, the more people vote early – and so the less people gather around a polling station – the better.
Find out how you can vote early today! And while you’re at it, make sure you sign up, in case your state doesn’t offer early voting or you end up having to do so on Election Day.