Early Voting
Not so long ago, Americans assembled on one designated day — Election Day — to choose our national leaders.
For those unable to cast votes on Election Day, early voting and absentee ballots are available options. In-person early voting has the advantage of the individual citizen at a polling place after check-in by election officials.
Today, however, early voting periods have been stretched to absurd lengths, with some states beginning their voting for the November election more than a month or more in advance. There is no empirical evidence that early voting increases turnout, but it does have serious downsides, including:
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- Producing less-informed voters. After casting an early ballot, a voter checks out of the national debate regardless of what happens. They won’t care about the televised debates, won’t consider options, and won’t fully participate in the political process. Many voters have occasionally complained to election officials and representatives of a desire to recast their vote because they have changed their mind. In most, if not all states, this is impossible to do with early voting.
- Increasing election administration and campaign costs. Elections that drag on for weeks require the logistical costs of administering an election, including more poll workers and salaries associated with the voting process.
- Facilitating double voting and vote fraud. Counties that utilize early voting need to have the necessary technology to ensure simultaneous verification and record of vote history. Early voting allows voters to vote anywhere in the county, not simply in their precinct. The jurisdictions must have the necessary voting equipment, statewide registration system, and electronic poll book system to prevent individuals from voting more than once in the state or county during the early voting period. It is also more difficult for political parties to secure sufficient poll watchers to monitor polling places for an extended early voting period.
ACRU Commentary
North Carolina and nationwide – liberal group mails applications partially filled out
A voter registration group is sending hundreds of thousands of mail-in and absentee ballot applications to voters in states that do not automatically mail the ballot applications themselves.
Virginia – 500,000 incorrect applications send out
Elections officials in Virginia are trying to set the record straight, after absentee ballot applications with incorrect information were mailed to more than half a million residents in the Commonwealth. The confusing mailers were sent by an organization known as 'The Center For Voter Information', which identifies itself as "non-partisan and non-profit" on its website.
Mail-in vote system in Detroit deemed “a mess” by election officials
In a city (over)run by Democrats for decades, voting in Detroit’s recent primary was utterly corrupted. When 72% of its precincts reported bad vote counts, the State Board of Canvassers called it “alarming.” Liberal Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has so far ignored concerns. Within Detroit’s 78% African American population, 40% live in poverty, and the unemployment rate is 21%. These citizens need their political voices heard and protected.
Encouraging and protecting military votes is a civilian imperative
It is the responsibility of all Americans to ensure the votes of Armed Forces members away from home arrive on time and are properly counted. The time is NOW for service members to register to vote and request an absentee ballot. Registration links are included in the article.
ACRU Action’s Blackwell notes liberal bad behavior creates vote security risk
"The left and their chosen candidates have provided telling examples of their unwillingness to make ethical choices that protect citizens. Proving themselves willing to violate numerous critical social norms, they are unlikely to be concerned with violating just one more," states Blackwell.
Pennsylvania mail ballot problems kept tens of thousands from voting in primary election
To make sure your vote counts, vote in person. Wear your mask, stay six feet behind your neighbors, wash your hands when you’re done, and don’t mail your ballot. With evidence coming in from mail-in ballot fails from several states, USPS admits it cannot handle the load. Because of postal drag, at least 92,000 votes in Pennsylvania’s recent primary were not counted. Don’t let that be you in November.
News
Nevada whisleblower affidavit alleges disregard of mail-in signature verification
An affidavit from a Nevada whistleblower alleges that election supervisors Clark County, which accounts for the vast majority of voters in the state, counted mail-in ballots despite concerns about whether signatures were valid. Source: Nevada [...]
The “furthest from my polling station” voting award
In the coolest story of the week, NASA astronaut Kate Rubins voted from space. She is currently stationed on the International Space Station. In 1997, Congress passed a bill allowing voting from space. Who knew? We assume she had no “interference” from her Russian colleagues, Sergey 1 and Sergey 2 as they are affectionately referred to at NASA. A great story to share with your kids.
Dead Voters Receiving Mail-In Ballots Across New Jersey Ahead of Election
Bring out your dead! The dead are now receiving mail-in election ballots in New Jersey, so are people who haven’t lived at an address in years, sometimes decades, if ever at all. One New Jersey Mayor, Carlos Rendo of Woodcliff Lake, who ran for Lt. Governor in 2017 today sounded the alarm.
Court decides the 14th Amendment only applies after elections
In New Jersey, an Obama appointed judge rejected a Republican lawsuit that charged last minute mail-only changes to the state’s voting system would be a vote integrity mess. The judge used a legal maneuver we expect to see more of—no one has yet to “suffer an injury” and therefore the case is dismissible. He even parroted the DNC argument in his opinion that GOP concerns were “hypothetical.” Neither the state nor federal Constitutions seemed to matter.
Liberal state supreme court gives tacit approval to forgery
On Oct. 23, The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s (5:1 Democrat majority) ruled that local election officials cannot reject mail-in ballots because the voter’s signature on the ballot does not match the voter's signature on file. This is a boon for ballot harvesters, particularly those operating in senior residential facilities, as they no longer must worry about practicing stolen voter signatures before mailing stolen ballots.
Voters who want to vote in person forced to use Postal Service
The Republican governor of Missouri signed a law in June allowing people receiving mail-only ballots to return them in person, as some voters prefer dropping off ballots instead of standing in line during COVID. It required signature validation. A liberal group sued, and won at the appeals level. Now people who have thought since June that they could hand drop their votes are subject to the whims and inefficiencies of the US Postal Service.