I sent off my request for a CA absentee ballot today

[Zomby Woof]

I am NOT going with their early voting touchscreen option. We have paper ballots we ink in at the polling place on the day of the election only, but with the number of thorny initiatives on hand this time around, I am taking the leisurely "study and vote" route. I hope my fellow California Democrats, if given the choice, will vote with paper at their polling place on Election Day, or with paper at home if doing so early. Touchscreen is a waste of our tax money, it's rife with fraud potential (although as I have pointed out previously, no method is safe - but I'll go with the devil I know), and it has not proven itself immune from tampering in California.

California Democrats, vote early, but not often! ;-) But by all means, VOTE!

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. Now: Prove that your paper ballot is actually counted

Or better yet, prove that it actually arrives in time to count as a legal vote.

[Zomby Woof]

2. The devil I know...

Plus, they must have counted last time, because I helped defeat der Fuhrer's initiatives. ;-)

I refuse to succumb to defeatism.

[Tiggeroshii]

4. There's a tracking number on it

and I know that last time I voted provisional, I was able to go online a few days after teh election to make sure it was counted. It was.

[geniph]

11. Prove ANY ballot is counted

I always check the tracking number on mine, make sure it was at least recorded as received and legitimate, but there's never any way of making sure your votes were properly recorded. At least with absentee ballots, you can keep the tracking slip and a copy, and you don't risk an emergency at work keeping you from voting.

[catchnrelease]

3. Me too!

I put my request in the mailbox on the way to work this am. Do I feel totally confident that absentee is the safest way to go? No, but as you say, it seems better than touchscreen and I won't have to feel rushed to get home to my polling place. (I've already gone through the sample ballot and marked how I'm voting, so it really wouldn't take too long in the booth once I got there.)

[Sapere aude]

5. Make sure if you have to add postage that you add the right amount.

I heard on the radio that 39 cents was not enough and you may get it returned and have no time to mail it back. Some counties have postage paid ballots but some do not.

[demobabe]

6. Vote at the polls on voting day with paper ballot if at all possible

I found California doesn't count all of it's votes... especially provisional ones.

[cherokeeprogressive]

8. My county does. ALL of 'em. PROVISIONAL and ABSENTEE.

Every time. No matter the potential outcome of the race.

Let me clarify that... My county tallies every eligible vote, Absentee OR Provisional, no matter the potential outcome of the race.

[demobabe]

9. Okay, I believe you. BUT...

...how do you know all of the provisional and absentee ballots were ACTUALLY counted?

If I vote absentee, how can I find out my vote was included in the tally or even received?

[cherokeeprogressive]

13. Good Question

I know they were actually counted because I take part in the counting.

How did you ever know whether or not your vote was counted?

Playing devil's advocate for a second... If you have no faith in using paper ballots, whether at the polling place or in absentee form, and you have no faith in any kind of electronic vote tallying, what would be your solution?

I hear the battle cry: "Paper Ballots! Hand-Counted! NOW!!!" so much it makes me laugh. Hand-counted by whom? Who do you trust?

[demobabe]

14. Making the process as transparent as possible.

I do have faith in paper ballots. They're not foolproof, but at least you do have a written record (assuming nobody disappears them). And as to who should we trust to count, I say we should trust a LOT of people. As many people as possible counting, and as transparent as possible. If many people are responsible for counting, and the whole process can be witnessed by the public, then the idea is that it is very hard to commit vote fraud.

[Annces]

7. I sent off for mine the other day too - Wisconsin

[catmandu57]

10. Ours go out with the morning mail

There were a number of issues, and judges to retain, we got to sit back and think about how we wanted to vote. A search on the judges helped with the decision there, our polling place can be crowded at times with people pushing to vote so this was a really good way to vote.
I like voting by mail, it's a lot easier to vote at my dining room table.

[kestrel91316]

12. I already mailed my absentee ballot back. I had requested it

with a form that came with a Republican mailing to me (I have registered R to avoid any sneaky dirty tricks by those SOBs) way before the sample ballot came. So I am DONE.