# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/101 "2020-09-22T04:17:14Z")
My wife and I got our Michigan absentee ballots today. But as I said up-thread, we’ve decided to vote in-person on election day to keep from having our absentee ballots clog up the count. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/102 "2020-09-22T04:44:43Z")
Check and see if they “clog the count” in your state. I’m pretty sure they don’t in mine. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2020, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/103 "2020-09-22T13:01:16Z")
My plan is to early vote in person. Early voting in my county begins Oct. 19, and you can vote at any early-voting site in the county (mostly village and township halls) instead of having only one place to vote on Election Day proper. I’ve early voted for years. It was very handy when I worked downtown daily, as Cook County has an early-voting site downtown (even though Chicago has a separate election board) a few blocks from my office and I could easily vote over lunch-hour and never had to wait in line. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2020, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/104 "2020-09-26T23:31:59Z")
I just sent my vote in by mail here in Michigan. I only received it today, but I think that is time to get it back and counted adequately. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2020, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/105 "2020-09-27T14:54:53Z")
I already have; as has my wife. Mailed them in, both received by the board of elections and both have been accepted. We’re North Carolina voters. Just some data on trends in NC, as of September 9th, 385,000 ballots had been requested by Democrats, 215,000 by Independents, and only 112,000 by Republicans. Voters in NC can request ballots up through October 27th, they need to be postmarked by 5:00 pm on election day, and received by 5:00 pm three days after election day. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2020, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/106 "2020-09-27T22:38:49Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > I already have; as has my wife. Mailed them in, both received by the board of elections and both have been accepted. We’re North Carolina voters. Does your state count any in advance of November 3? Michigan does not count any of them until then. I kind of get it(maybe?), but I would love to know Michigan results the night of the election. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/107 "2020-09-27T22:43:43Z")
I thought I read they were given a little more time this year. Not to count, but to at least start opening the absentees and getting them ready to run through the counting machines. > **[Michigan lawmakers give time on absentee ballots, require video monitoring of...](https://www.freep.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/09/24/more-time-process-absentee-ballots-michigan/3518646001/)** > > The law change also requires clerks follow up with voters if a signature on their absentee ballot does not match the signature on file with the state. Hopefully it will help some. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/108 "2020-09-28T00:58:01Z")
They are tabulated but not counted. They get run through the machines and the votes tabulated, but they are not counted until election day when they are released at 7:30 pm on election day. The canvass is 10 days after election day. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/109 "2020-09-28T03:32:26Z")
Just wanted to brag that we took a walk down to our local park yesterday and turned in our absentee ballots, to election officials from our city clerk’s office. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/110 "2020-09-28T23:49:15Z")
I took my absentee ballot up to the Court House in Wallace, Idaho today. Voted a straight Democratic slate, except for the uncontested county sheriff. Undervoted him and the two state representatives and the state senator, the latter three are uncontested Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![carlb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carlb/32/5930_2.png) [@carlb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carlb)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/111 "2020-09-29T10:51:56Z")
I’ll be voting early here in Miami-Dade. The county will be mailing ballots beginning Thursday. I will probably drop the ballots at a nearby drop box when they become available. I’ve already downloaded my sample ballot so I can start looking into the various referenda and down-ballot races. I will take photos of may ballot, photos of my ballot in the security sleeve, a photo of that going into the envelope, and a photo of the envelope going into the drop box. Never had a problem voting by mail before, but this seems like the kind of year for a belt _and_ suspenders. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/112 "2020-09-29T11:04:50Z")
Mailed off my absentee ballot this morning. ---
**Author:** ![Ekroeger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Ekroeger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ekroeger)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/113 "2020-09-30T00:05:44Z")
Me, too, Digs! Madison WI ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2020, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/114 "2020-09-30T03:44:23Z")
I was just looking at a useful table > **[Table 16: When Absentee/Mail Ballot Processing and Counting Can Begin](https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/table-16-when-absentee-mail-ballot-processing-and-counting-can-begin#toggleContent-12088)** > > Processing absentee ballots can begin before they are actually counted. This table shows when each state's can begin processing and counting absentee/mail ballots. Basically, if your state processes absentee ballots in a timely manner, there’s no problem voting absentee. And most states do that. But if you state is like, for instance, Alabama, which doesn’t even touch the absentee ballots until election day and doesn’t count them until potentially much later, you should do your best to vote in person. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2020, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/115 "2020-10-01T10:12:53Z")
Here is the problem with voting in person when you have the option of voting by mail. Vote by mail, and you 100% voted. The chances that your ballot is lost or not counted is smaller than the chances that election day comes and you don’t end up going for any one of many reasons. Don’t wait until election day because you think it is going to make some difference in perception on election night or on the ultimate outcome. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/116 "2020-10-01T12:25:02Z")
That varies by person. I have voted in every election i was eligible to vote in except for two, since i turned 18. One of them i was going to be out of town, and there were no contested races (it was a town election, sometimes they are contested, sometimes they aren’t) and i decided not to request an absentee ballot. The other was the first time i tried to vote by mail. I got the ballot, and just never got around to returning it. Needing to go in election day is motivating. At least for me. That being said, I voted absentee in our primary this year, due to covid-19, and I drove my ballot to the drop box within a day of removing the ballot from my mail quarantine. My state processes absentee ballots when they arrive, and counts them on election day, and releases all the results together. So there’s no strategic reason to avoid voting that way. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/117 "2020-10-01T12:37:29Z")
Received my ballot yesterday. Filled it out, now it’s just sitting sealed in the envelope waiting for the drop boxes to get installed, sometime around October 15. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2020, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/118 "2020-10-01T14:40:49Z")
No advantage to voting early for me. Voting location on regular voting day is close by. Almost never a line. The early voting locations are farther away and have longer lines (according to my local subreddit). ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2020, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/119 "2020-10-03T18:47:26Z")
Absentee ballot but will be dropping off within a couple days of the election or on election day. At this point I have not even decided on most of the races. President and sheriff were decided as soon as I knew they would be on the ballot. I only just decided on my US House race about a week and a half ago. Being back in the area where I grew up after a couple decades away means I have extra catch up to do. My norm is not to make decisions on any close, by my evaluation standards, until the last week or so anyway. I just have more work to do in the last month this time around. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692/120 "2020-10-03T21:49:05Z")
My county board of elections told me that early voting in person will be announced along with votes in person on the day; but mail-in votes won’t be counted for a week (I presume to allow time for ones postmarked by the deadline to come in). While anybody can see where our POTUS winner-take-all is going (it’s NYState, though my county’s pretty red), the local house race may be tight. So my current plan is to vote in person by early voting; which in NY doesn’t start very early, not until October 24. That’s a Saturday and might be relatively crowded, I’m planning to go vote on the 26th or 27th – which would give me just barely enough time to request a mail-in ballot by phone or email, if I got thrown into isolation for some reason right at that point. If it were a more normal year, I’d figure on voting in person on the day; I like taking part in that community civic ritual, and although my area has high turnout the line’s usually quite short. But this isn’t a year to take chances on something maybe going wrong on the day or shortly before and preventing me from voting. Not even in NY. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-plan-on-voting-early/917692.md?page=7)