# Do you plan on voting early? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 10, 2020, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692 "2020-08-10T03:40:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/21 "2020-08-10T16:11:58Z")
As of now, I’m not planning to, because voting in person has always been an easy and quick process for me. But if I hear something that makes me think that won’t be the case in November, I might reconsider. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/22 "2020-08-10T16:15:39Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I am also considering signing up as a poll worker - I’m a healthy 44 year old, and my parents live out of state, so I’m not at risk of putting them in contact with COVID. In a perverse way, this is a good year to be a poll worker. I’ve done it before but, for the presidential general elections, all the slots went to people with 35+ years experience and I was lucky to be a second alternate across the county should someone get sick. I bet this year you can get right in at the table. ---
**Author:** ![ThisIsTheEnd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisistheend/32/4713_2.png) [@ThisIsTheEnd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisIsTheEnd)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/23 "2020-08-10T17:37:40Z")
- Yes - Massachusetts - Already received and returned my application - Rules: Application for ballot has to be received by October 28 Doesn’t say when the ballots are mailed Ballot has to be postmarked by November 3 Ballot has to be received by November 6 Application status and voting status are trackable online The polling place is right up the street from me; I plan to drive up there a few times on election day just to see what’s up, and possibly volunteer to give people rides although I don’t think that’s much of a thing around here. Last time I did it was in NH in 2008. ---
**Author:** ![Die\_Capacitrix](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/die_capacitrix/32/9_2.png) [@Die\_Capacitrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Die_Capacitrix)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/24 "2020-08-10T18:14:08Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > Yes, but I kinda have to. I’m an expat, living in Australia. I’ll get my ballot via email; and I’ll be sending it back the fastest possible way, hang the expense. Change Australia to Switzerland and that’s me. I’ve actually never voted in person, so I’ve never gotten a sticker. I just want my vote to be counted. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/25 "2020-08-10T18:24:40Z")
I used to but not any more, but there’s a good side to it: Early voting is so popular that the waits were long to very long. A presidential election is a 3 hour wait. I come to vote on an official election day and I’m in and out in at most, several minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/26 "2020-08-11T17:01:32Z")
Whenever Champaign County, IL emails the ballots to my wife and me, I will print them out, fill in mine and get my wife to fill in hers and take them over to the local post office, probably the same day. And ask for hand cancellation. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/27 "2020-08-11T17:11:42Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Yup. Arizona here, where you can request to be put on the permanent mail-in voters list. I plan to fill mine out the day it arrives. Another Arizonan. Probably not that soon, but within a couple days. The Federal and state offices I already know who I’m voting for but county and city I’m not even sure who’s running yet, and there may be propositions I am totes unaware of. Arizona has been pushing towards total mail-in for quite a few years. Overall the mail-in ballots were 85% of votes cast in the primary we had last week, and in Maricopa county, even higher. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/28 "2020-08-11T22:48:35Z")
As early as possible. Ballot measures may take a couple hours to study and decide, but this will be an easy ballot. Straight Democratic ticket all the way. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/29 "2020-08-11T23:20:57Z")
Yes, I live in Michigan and have chosen to receive all ballots in the future via mail. I’ll vote more or less the day it comes and get it over with. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/30 "2020-08-11T23:24:29Z")
I’ve sent off for absentee ballots for myself and Madame P. When they arrive, we’ll have our son-in-law drop them off. The absentee ballots for the primary were lost in the mail, and we’d rather not take our chances. ---
**Author:** ![Jungian\_Camisole1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jungian_camisole1/32/3646_2.png) [@Jungian\_Camisole1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jungian_Camisole1)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/31 "2020-08-11T23:37:36Z")
Another Texan checking in. I will be in line October 13, wearing five masks if it’s necessary. ---
**Author:** ![Nayna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ebca7d/32.png) [@Nayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nayna)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/32 "2020-08-13T04:04:40Z")
I filled out the online form to be a poll worker a few weeks ago, and got a call today. I’m in! Not sure where I’ll be working; I said I’d go to any polling station within 45 miles (my choice was “under 1 mile, under 5 miles, under 45 miles, or anywhere in the state” - and PA is too big for me to commit to _that_). Looking forward to it! ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2020, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/33 "2020-08-13T04:26:32Z")
So glad you are getting to do it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Also hope you get a site close to home. Stay safe of course. You’re doing something very important! Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/34 "2020-08-14T18:45:16Z")
We’re going to vote by mail, therefore we will be voting early so that delayed mail does not screw up our vote. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/35 "2020-08-14T18:48:36Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > And ask for hand cancellation. Does this help? How? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/36 "2020-08-14T19:07:24Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > And ask for hand cancellation. > [@Procrustus](#): > > Does this help? How? Not in Arizona. Post mark does not county, being received at the registrar by the polls closing time does. Some other states as well, which is why USPS is suddenly being dismantled. Living in the county I can deposit the ballot in drop boxes all around, at any poll on voting day, or the registrar’s office itself. People living overseas are SOL if the PO does not make it in time. ---
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/37 "2020-08-14T21:18:07Z")
Yeah, I wonder how the post office shenanigans will shake out, demographics-wise. ---
**Author:** ![MoonMoon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonmoon/32/2959_2.png) [@MoonMoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoonMoon)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/38 "2020-08-14T21:38:07Z")
I voted “something else” because I certainly would if my state allowed it. In person on the day unless you have an excuse that matches their short list. AND they’ve cut the number of polling places. 🤬 ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Wiggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/red_wiggler/32/13190_2.png) [@Red\_Wiggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Wiggler)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/39 "2020-08-14T21:48:13Z")
I’m voting early and I have applied to serve as an election official. “I’m gonna vote so hard I might pull a muscle.” ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/40 "2020-08-14T21:55:50Z")
> [@Red\_Wiggler](#): > > I’m voting early and I have applied to serve as an election official. > > “I’m gonna vote so hard I might pull a muscle.” - I like the cut of your jib. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692.md?page=3)