Isn’t voting open for much longer than 1 day? Polls are already open…and so is early voting and mail-in ballots, etc. Election Day is just like the last day when (allegedly) the winner is decided. Not really a point for a full-on, everything closed type holiday, or even a “bank holiday” like President’s Day.
Depends on your state and county/parish. Voter suppression and lack of funding means that many “red” states have fewer voting locations and even fewer early voting locations. My family who live in a Republican county in a Republican state have only two vote early locations that are picked to be least efficient (both close to each other on an extreme end and less populated portion of a huge county). They would have to drive 45 minutes to get there in good traffic. It makes it difficult for folks who may be poor and working class to get out.
I’ve been mailing in my ballot for years. Sitting at home and researching each candidate and proposition at my convenience is a game changer. (This year, my ballot had 15 propositions to unravel!) I don’t need to worry about getting to the polls - or dealing with the armed, lingering asshats.
Regardless, it should be clear that not everyone has this option today. There is no reason we should be saying things like “You have no excuse” like we are elsewhere.
There are more options than their used to be, but not everywhere, not for everyone, and its still not as easily accessed as it should be.
Only eight states have automatic mail-in voting: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington state, plus Washington DC.
Some states have No Excuse Required mail-in options, while others have Excuse Required mail-in options. I’ve lived in all three types of states. The automatic (blue) state was best, and No Excuse (purple) state made the mail-in request easy, but I had to jump through hoops and lie my ass off to mail my ballot in the Excuse Required (red) state.
Every state should have automatic or No Excuse mail-in ballots.
Put $500 cash in an envelope and mail it to yourself. If you don’t trust that, drop your ballot in person. I voted yesterday and got to scan my ballot into the machine.
Isn’t voting open for much longer than 1 day? Polls are already open…and so is early voting and mail-in ballots, etc. Election Day is just like the last day when (allegedly) the winner is decided. Not really a point for a full-on, everything closed type holiday, or even a “bank holiday” like President’s Day.
Depends on your state and county/parish. Voter suppression and lack of funding means that many “red” states have fewer voting locations and even fewer early voting locations. My family who live in a Republican county in a Republican state have only two vote early locations that are picked to be least efficient (both close to each other on an extreme end and less populated portion of a huge county). They would have to drive 45 minutes to get there in good traffic. It makes it difficult for folks who may be poor and working class to get out.
I’ve been mailing in my ballot for years. Sitting at home and researching each candidate and proposition at my convenience is a game changer. (This year, my ballot had 15 propositions to unravel!) I don’t need to worry about getting to the polls - or dealing with the armed, lingering asshats.
EVERYONE should be mailing in ballots.
You don’t need to mail in to research candidates.
At least in my state, you can just see who is on the ballot weeks and weeks ahead of time.
Not everyone gets that option from their state.
I think they’re just saying that everyone should have the option and use it.
Maybe.
Regardless, it should be clear that not everyone has this option today. There is no reason we should be saying things like “You have no excuse” like we are elsewhere.
There are more options than their used to be, but not everywhere, not for everyone, and its still not as easily accessed as it should be.
Which sucks.
Only eight states have automatic mail-in voting: California, Colorado, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and Washington state, plus Washington DC.
Some states have No Excuse Required mail-in options, while others have Excuse Required mail-in options. I’ve lived in all three types of states. The automatic (blue) state was best, and No Excuse (purple) state made the mail-in request easy, but I had to jump through hoops and lie my ass off to mail my ballot in the Excuse Required (red) state.
Every state should have automatic or No Excuse mail-in ballots.
https://ballotpedia.org/All-mail_voting
They absolutely should all be automatic.
We should also, IMO, have it as a holiday. As well as early voting options everywhere. Really everything to encourage participation.
Unfortunately not the case today…
Put $500 cash in an envelope and mail it to yourself. If you don’t trust that, drop your ballot in person. I voted yesterday and got to scan my ballot into the machine.