Absentee ballot requests are down 36 percent statewide for Nov. 4 electIon

[Divernan]

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/10/absentee_ballot_requests_are_d.html

In Cumberland County, absentee ballot requests are down 33 percent from 2010; Adams, Lebanon and York counties are down about 36 percent; Perry County's about 30 percent; Allegheny County's, down 44 percent; and Philadelphia's down 12 percent, according to Pennsylvania Department of State and county figures.. . . . . .
"The electorate is angry and restive, and sometimes they vote with their feet by not coming out to the polls," he said. "Hopefully folks who didn't apply are going to show up on Tuesday – that's what both campaigns would hope."

Democratic strategist Tony May of Triad Strategies doesn't think the number of absentees will have a big impact due to the small ballot, and the fact many races are not very competitive in this election.

"In the gubernatorial, I think it helps Wolf slightly because more senior citizens vote absentee than other age groups and seniors are the only demographic – according to the polls—that Wolf is losing to Corbett," May said.

In last spring's primary, at least in my ward and district, a lot of the Republican voters voted for lieutenant governor, but not for governor, as an indication of their dislike of Corbett. Let's hope all those disaffected Republicans just stay home in November. On our ballot, the only contested races are for Governor and U.S. Congress person.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. I am 61---I suppose that is classified as senior.

I am voting straight Democrat. We also have only two contested races, but they are both pretty important ones in my mind.

[Divernan]

3. I agree - both contested races are important - very important.

I think many traditionally straight-ticket-voting Republicans have to choose between effectively splitting their ticket by NOT voting for Corbett or not voting at all. Sort of a death-before-the-dishonor of splitting their ticket. I also think low information voters care much more about the Governor's race than their local congressional race. Plus with the extreme gerry-mandering in PA since the last census - many PA voters don't know who their congressperson is.

Interestingly, I've noted a very active (teaparty loudmouth) neighborhood Republican has yard signs for the congressional race, and for an uncontested state senate race, but NOTHING for Corbett. "Lucy, you got some cognitive dissonance 'splainin' to do!"

It will be a long day for us on election panels - as a Judge, I leave home at 5:30 a.m. & after driving to Springdale (32 miles round trip) at the end of the night to turn in the machine tapes/records/etc., will get home around 10:30 p.m. - 17 hours. Most of us election workers are retired/older and that makes for a brutal day. The weekend before election, I put in another 6 hours - picking up materials(another 32 miles), inspecting polling place re delivery of voting machines & making arrangements with custodians, and reviewing and organizing all the election materials in the election "suitcase". So that's 23 hours. Actually, if you figure time and a half for the 9 hours "overtime" on election day, that's 27.5 hours. For this I get paid a whopping $140, with no mileage or meal allowance, i.e., a munificent $5 per hour!

Obviously I'm not doing this for the money - and I thought seriously about running for re-election for another 4 years last time - being in my 70's. I decided to do it because of aforesaid loudmouthed teaparty neighbor who has tried to intimidate people from voting, and whose wife would have been the appointed judge if I wasn't around. As a retired govt. lawyer (state legislature/Dem. caucus) I am no shrinking violet when it comes to protecting everyone's (whatever party) right to vote and getting in the face of said loudmouth and making him keep his distance from the polling place and voters.

Pennsylvania's archaic election procedures are physically barbaric for the poll workers. They also suppress voter turnout, but that's worthy of its own thread.
Thank you all for reading my rant, and GOTV!

[Curmudgeoness]

4. You are in the same position as SC Justice Ginsberg.

She can't give up the seat on the SCOTUS because of the difficulty there would be in getting a replacement through Congress in this atmosphere. You are stuck with your poll working position for fear of what will happen if you leave it.

I know how hard the work is, since my mother (who didn't have an outside job) worked the polls for years. She did it into her 70's before she just didn't think she could keep it up with the long days. I have great respect for you and all the others who work the polls every year. And to be honest, I think she made a lot less than $140---that must be for Election Judges.

I would be interested to hear more about the archaic procedures.

[Divernan]

5. I'm honored to be compared to Justice Ginsberg, even in my minor capacity!

I admire her tremendously. As to the archaic procedures, one only has to compare Pennsylvania to the majority of states which have extended voting days & hours; which allow unconditional absentee ballots, or which allow ALL mail in voting (Washington state, Colorado and Oregon). In PA, the polls are only open for 13 hours (7 a.m. to 8 p.m.) on one weekday. If the weather is bad - thunderstorms, snow, etc., the turnout is greatly suppressed. Click on the following link from the National Conference of State Legislators for details on every state.

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/absentee-and-early-voting.aspx

Absentee and Early Voting
10/21/2014

Most states have a method for any eligible voter to cast a ballot before Election Day, either during the early voting period or by requesting an absentee ballot. In 14 states, early voting is not available and an excuse is required to request an absentee ballot.

States offer three ways for voters to cast a ballot before Election Day:

Early Voting: In 33 states and the District of Columbia, any qualified voter may cast a ballot in person during a designated period prior to Election Day. No excuse or justification is required.
Absentee Voting: All states will mail an absentee ballot to certain voters who request one. The voter may return the ballot by mail or in person. In 20 states, an excuse is required, while 27 states and the District of Columbia permit any qualified voter to vote absentee without offering an excuse. Some states offer a permanent absentee ballot list: once a voter asks to be added to the list, s/he will automatically receive an absentee ballot for all future elections.
Mail Voting: A ballot is automatically mailed to every eligible voter (no request or application is necessary), and the state does not use traditional precinct poll sites that offer in-person voting on Election Day. Three states use mail voting.

When it comes to modifying Pennsylvania's election procedures, Article VII, section 2 of the state constitution would have to be amended as to length of time/number of days allowed for voting:

Section 2
General Election Day

The general election shall be held biennially on the Tuesday next following the first Monday of November in each even- numbered year, but the General Assembly may be law fix a different day, two-thirds of all the members of each House consenting thereto: Provided, that such election shall always be held in an even-numbered year.

The legislature could simply make changes by general law to absentee ballot requirements:

Article VII, Section 14
Absentee Voting

The Legislature shall, by general law, provide a manner in which, and the time and place at which, qualified electors who may, on the occurrence of any election, be absent from the State or county of their residence, because their duties, occupation or business require them to be elsewhere or who, on the occurrence of any election, are unable to attend at their proper polling places because of illness or physical disability or who will not attend a polling place because of the observance of a religious holiday or who cannot vote because of Election Day duties, in the case of a county employee, may vote, and for the return and canvass of their votes in the election district in which they respectively reside.

In last spring's primary, with good weather, my ward and district had the following pathetic voter turnout:
VOTER TURNOUT - TOTAL . . . . . . . 16.58
VOTER TURNOUT - REPUBLICAN. . . . . . 15.60
VOTER TURNOUT - DEMOCRATIC. . . . . . 23.54
As I said, pathetic!

[Curmudgeoness]

6. That brings up a question that I have had for quite a while.

States that have early voting, then try to cut the time allowed, are losing court battles over this. The courts are consistently ruling that they cannot "suppress the vote" by doing away with or limiting the early voting. So how is it possible that PA can get away with having NO early voting and very limited absentee voting?

As to the pathetic voter turnout, especially in primaries, I have never understood it. As I have said in the past, I would crawl through glass to get to the polls to vote, and a little rain or snow is definitely not going to deter me. But I would love to have the ability to vote on more than one day, and I think that it is only reasonable to allow it. But I also wonder if it would make much difference with the voter apathy. Many people who I know who do not vote, or do so rarely, are of the opinion that it just doesn't matter or that they are "all the same" or "I don't know enough to make a decision". Arguments against that thinking don't seem to help. I used to believe very strongly that everyone should vote, but as I get more jaded, I have begun to realize that too many people will not take the time to know enough to make a good decision and are only swayed by the ads that are the most disgusting....and those ads are usually from the GOP. Better that those people just stay home if they are going to buy the lies without taking any time to see if they are true. As I said.....jaded. I have lost faith.

[JPZenger]

7. I appreciate election workers

Yes, I greatly appreciate election workers who know what they are doing. However, there are some who really don't know what they are doing, or who don't even show up on election day.

My mom was a PA. election worker for years. I'll always remember her story about the time someone shoved cardboard into the write-in slots of an old-style lever election machine to prevent people from voting for a team of write-in reform candidates. She told all of the voters that if they wanted to do a write in, they had to use the unclogged machine. That caused the incumbents' thugs (including "Big Tony&quot to start screaming at her. She stood up to them and the write in team won.

Yes, if Pa. had a more permissive mail in vote system, or at least one early voting site in each county, it would reduce some of the stress on the election workers during Presidential years.

[JPZenger]

2. Pa keeps its archaic voting rules

Pa. hasn't updated its voting rules in decades, except to try to suppress the votes through photo ID.

What really irritates me is that absentee ballots must be RECEIVED in the voting office by the Friday before the election in order to be counted. There is no reason for that early deadline.