On Voting Early

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

Since I was 21 and voting for the first time (for Carter), I have LOVED going to the polls on election day and casting my vote for president. I always feel very PURELY American, standing in line, going to my booth and casting my vote, then staying up late watching the returns. Even when the person I voted for loses (Carter, Mondale, Dukakis), I have still always found myself proud of casting my vote. When I realized I could vote early in Florida, my first thought was that I would feel cheated out of that feeling on election day and that I'd never do that.

I changed my mind last Sunday at the Edwards rally in Gainesville. A theme throughout the rally was to vote early. The reason that CHANGED my mind was the following: NEWLY registered voters might get intimidated and discouraged if the lines are too long, and I firmly believe that the scale is tipped heavily to Kerry by the newly registered.

So, yesterday, I voted early and proudly for Kerry. I was thinking as I did it that I would happily give up my place in line on election day and that fuzzy warm feeling for a newly registered voter.

And I felt PURELY American.

[crispini]

1. nice post! thanks! :) n/t

[T Roosevelt]

2. The other thing is the potential for an October Surprise

some people may be too easily influenced by trumped up stories intended to do just that - early voting eliminates that opportunity by letting people make decisions in a relatively unclouded news environment (even though there is still so much crap going on right now).

[iwillalwayswonderwhy]

3. The other thing I noticed

I wore an "I Voted Early" sticker all day yesterday as I went shopping and found that people would come up to me and ask about it and it gave me HUGE opportunities to talk about Kerry.

The stickers were next to the scanner that you put your ballot into after you were finished voting. I took enough to wear one a day right up until the election.

[goddess40]

4. Great post - I wish more would vote early

I too am afraid that some will see the lines and not vote. Many people work that day and while they are supposed to be allowed time to vote, the truth is they aren't. With the economy the way it is they can't risk their jobs and don't think their republican bosses don't make use of that fact.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. thanks for your post

I plan to vote early on Monday, God willing. It means going a different route home (on a commute of about 50 miles one way) so I can stop at the courthouse, but I want to make sure I get my vote in.

[theHandpuppet]

6. Helping to turn out the early vote!

For those of you who want to fight the GOP's voter intimidation tactics, assisting with early voting is VITAL. Many local Dem Party chapters are begging for drivers to help people get to the polls, particularly the elderly and disabled who would be most vunerable should the GOP tactics result in long lines on Nov 2nd. Also needed are folks willing to offer child care services for single moms who have a limited amount of time to spend at the polls.

Please call or drop by your local Dem Party headquarters ASAP and volunteer to be a driver!

[SheilaT]

7. Voting early means

a lot of people who otherwise truly cannot get to their polling place during the brief time they're open, can actually get out and vote.

We have the most inconvenient voting system anywhere in the world. It's deliberately designed to suppress the vote, which is what Republicans love best about it.

Remember, lower voter turnout favors Republicans, so if you're a Republican, don't vote.