# Early Voting and “I Voted” Stickers **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 8, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274 "2024-05-08T18:24:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/1 "2024-05-08T18:24:40Z")
Double topic, wow!😮 Is early voting offered where you are and do you take advantage of it? It is here where I live and yes I do take advantage as there are just a few early voting polls scattered throughout the county, but one is located just basically around the corner from my work. Saves me half a day or more of taking off work to stand in line. I can just pop in after work and vote since all early voting stations are open for all precincts. Do you ever take and or save the “I voted” sticker they offer, if they offer them where you are. This year I’ve decided that I’m going to start saving them on my togo coffee cup. Hopefully it will be seen by some state legislator and irritate them, as hard as the legislature tries to limit the ability of the general population to vote. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/2 "2024-05-08T18:30:36Z")
Early voting is certainly available in California, either by mail-in ballot, which gives you plenty of time to vote early, or by a few early voting sites (actually, the only one I’m aware of in San Francisco is at City Hall, which is open for weeks before voting day, but there may be others). I have been doing mail-in voting for years, but I think they made a change so that all registered voters get a mail-in ballot for most elections (but I’m not sure, since it didn’t affect me personally). In the mail-in ballot materials is an “I voted” sticker, but I have never displayed one, as far as I can remember. Another fairly recent improvement in mail-in voting is that you (can) get tracking notices by email of when your mailed ballot is received, and when it is counted. I believe you have to make the effort of writing your email address on the envelope or somewhere in order to get these tracking notices. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/3 "2024-05-08T18:39:07Z")
I stick the “I Voted” stickers on the stock of one of my rifles. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/4 "2024-05-08T18:44:31Z")
Never voted early. I like the idea of going on election day. I collect all the “I Voted” stickers. I have a sticker collage I’ve been working on for years. The “I Voted” stickers make good background for my subject. This past primary everyone got free red/white/blue stylus pens. So, now I have about 7 of them. Cool! I love freebies. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/5 "2024-05-08T18:46:58Z")
I always take an I Voted sticker when I vote. The last one i got was in Chinese. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/6 "2024-05-08T18:48:49Z")
Early voting is available and encouraged where I live (Northeast Ohio), but I’ve never bothered. I vote on election day. If I knew I would be out of town on an upcoming election day, I would early-vote. I doubt I will ever vote by mail unless I happen to be living out of the country. Stickers are given out, and I wear them for the about 4 hours they manage to stay stuck to my shirt before falling off. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/7 "2024-05-08T19:13:31Z")
I take two: one to stick on something random and one to wear on election day so that I can get a free drink at a nearby brewery. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/8 "2024-05-08T20:16:04Z")
I take two or three in order to show how many times I voted and to piss people off. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/9 "2024-05-08T20:20:52Z")
I always vote, but I feel like it’s part of the experience to show up on election day, so I prefer not to vote early. If there were going to be some sort of scheduling conflict, though, I’d definitely vote early rather than miss out on voting. I wear a vinyl pocket protector, and a sticker stays pretty much indefinitely on the front flap. I also now have on on the back of my laptop (I figure, if the students are going to cover their laptop in stickers, I might as well, too). ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/10 "2024-05-08T20:59:09Z")
Penzey’s has been including “I will vote 11.5.24” stickers with its mail order shipments. I stuck mine on my computer. I will vote by mail just to make 100% sure I vote - It would be disappointing if something came up on Election Day (a sick cat, a flat tire, whatever) and I couldn’t make it to the polls. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/11 "2024-05-08T21:12:37Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Another fairly recent improvement in mail-in voting is that you (can) get tracking notices by email of when your mailed ballot is received, and when it is counted. I believe you have to make the effort of writing your email address on the envelope or somewhere in order to get these tracking notices. I’m in California, too. I get a text on my phone. I signed up for it just once several elections ago and still get them. Once when my ballot is sent to me. Again when my completed ballot is received, and a third one when it is counted. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/12 "2024-05-08T21:19:33Z")
I’m in NY State. I almost always vote early these days. There’s no shortages of places to do so here in my county. As others have said, the stickers fall off pretty quickly. Oh well. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/13 "2024-05-08T22:25:28Z")
We’ve often voted early, just to avoid the rush. Last provincial election was in 2020. Voted by mail for the first time. Signed up online, ballot arrived a few days later. Put the ballot in the mail and could track it online for arrival at the poll, and when it got counted. No muss, no fuss. We don’t get stickers. At least I don’t remember getting one. ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/14 "2024-05-08T22:55:01Z")
Some years, ya can’t be too paranoid. Southern California here, and I like the idea of leaving my vote in one of the very-public drop-off boxes, where it’s pretty certain to be secure. Not that I’m really concerned, but I much dislike the idea that anyone would have any basis to claim that there was any hanky-panky near my ballot. That said, I don’t much bother with the sticker. It’s my vote that’s important – and I surely will vote. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/15 "2024-05-08T23:02:08Z")
I’m old fashioned, I guess. I prefer “the experience” of going to the polls and voting in person. One of the few times I get to be the youngest person in the room. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/16 "2024-05-08T23:40:30Z")
I do early voting because my regular voting place is hard for me to get to, but one of the early voting places is extremely convenient. I’ve stopped picking up an “I voted” sticker years ago, because I don’t have any reason to collect them. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2024, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/17 "2024-05-08T23:49:43Z")
Yes and no? 🤣 Here in Colorado, it’s all mail, all the time unless you decide you want to go in person (blech, in Colorado Springs with the high local wingnut population? Hell no!). So, we normally all get the ballot at roughly the same time. But I’m often later than I should be at filling it out and sending it in, for reasons, and because of the local wingnut population, I’m juuuust paranoid enough to drop it at a ballot box and not my own mailbox. Which means I secure my “I voted” stickers, but rarely do anything with them. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/18 "2024-05-09T01:01:21Z")
Washington State is _all_ mail-in voting, with a smattering of in-person voting locations for the few people who’d rather do it that way. And convenient locked dropboxes all over the place if you’d prefer to use those, valid all the way up to the end of polling (8pm?). I don’t vote early anymore, after the year I did it early and one of the city council candidates was arrested for domestic violence a week before the election. So maybe a day or two or three early, but no more than that. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/19 "2024-05-09T01:22:27Z")
I don’t early vote, and while I vaguely remember a sticker at an election, I don’t usually get one. I think I may have given it to my son. The early polls are close by, but so is our regular voting place, so one isn’t more or less convenient than another. I also work from home and polls are open late, so there’s no real excuse to not be able to go even if I have a client visit to do during the day. Last time, I walked over during lunch and was home about 20 minutes later. I’ve never had to wait for more than 2 people to vote ahead of me. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2024, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274/20 "2024-05-09T01:35:14Z")
I vote early when possible. No interest in the poll “experience”. I also like to isolate myself from the last-minute candidate propaganda. Mostly just an issue for local races, but there’s a definite burst of low-information election junk mail in the last few days before the election. I try to not let it affect me, but one way I can be _certain_ it doesn’t affect me is by voting before it arrives. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/early-voting-and-i-voted-stickers/1001274.md?page=2)