# Voting By Mail Downside: voters are unable to react to last-minute information **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 25, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416 "2017-05-25T15:41:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/41 "2017-05-26T23:45:05Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Is there any other democratic country around the world that allows voting for offices to continue for more than one or two days? I’ve not looked to see if this is a trend elsewhere. [Look up, wa-a-y up](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index). We’re on our way to [del]the castle[/del] [Canada](https://youtu.be/WV2P6P4p6Hg). Adult citizens [[sup]exclusive of non-residents of 5 or more years, although this disenfranchisement is under appeal[/sup]](https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc-l/doc/2016/2016canlii20442/2016canlii20442.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQANR2lsbGlhbiBGcmFuawAAAAAB&resultIndex=1) vote in federal elections at Elections Canada offices (every riding has one or more) or via mail from the date the election is called to election day – that was 78 days at our most recent election, but the statutory minimum is 36 days. In addition to this, there are advance polls 10 (Friday), 9 (Saturday), 8 (Sunday) and 7 (Monday) days prior to election day. Elections Canada is independent. It’s also worth noting that the geographical election districts are reviewed after each 10 year census and changed accordingly by judicially chaired independent electoral commissions, so we don’t have gerrymandering. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/42 "2017-05-27T00:52:27Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > [Look up, wa-a-y up](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index). We’re on our way to [del]the castle[/del] [Canada](https://youtu.be/WV2P6P4p6Hg). Adult citizens [[sup]exclusive of non-residents of 5 or more years, although this disenfranchisement is under appeal[/sup]](https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/scc-l/doc/2016/2016canlii20442/2016canlii20442.html?searchUrlHash=AAAAAQANR2lsbGlhbiBGcmFuawAAAAAB&resultIndex=1) vote in federal elections at Elections Canada offices (every riding has one or more) or via mail from the date the election is called to election day – that was 78 days at our most recent election, but the statutory minimum is 36 days. In addition to this, there are advance polls 10 (Friday), 9 (Saturday), 8 (Sunday) and 7 (Monday) days prior to election day. Yeah, Canada had to do something to try and stop the turnout slide before we were as bad as the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/43 "2017-05-27T02:16:16Z")
What happened in Montana is why I would never vote before election day. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/44 "2017-05-27T06:18:59Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Stupid phone. Ignore this gibberish. Your original post was posted at 11:42, how were you then able to edit it at 12:26? I want to be able to do that. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/45 "2017-05-27T11:18:48Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Your original post was posted at 11:42, how were you then able to edit it at 12:26? I want to be able to do that. **Miller** is a moderator. They have special powers. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/46 "2017-05-27T12:41:03Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Is there any other democratic country around the world that allows voting for offices to continue for more than one or two days? Don’t know about a trend, but after you’ve looked wa-a-y up, look wa-a-y west. Australia has allowed early voting (absentee and postal) since Federation (in 1900). Following some relaxation in the criteria in 2007 pre-poll voting has increased (while absentee voting has decreased). The last Federal election in 2016 was held during school holidays and almost 1/3rd of votes are cast prior to election day. In some electorates the pre-poll voting exceeds 50% of eligible voters. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/47 "2017-05-27T13:34:27Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Voting over a period of time will have voters reacting to a more balanced set of issues, concerns, and events, and thus yield a better result. > [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > Only if the vote can be changed as the process continues. Sort of a preference poll, but at some point you have to lock in your vote. Thereby undoing the fix. 😕 ---
**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:** [May 28, 2017, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/48 "2017-05-28T16:22:07Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Thereby undoing the fix. 😕 That could be a _good_ thing, a sort of continuous vote of no confidence like periodic ones they have in [parliamentary democracies](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_of_no_confidence#Parliamentary_systems). “Sorry, Mr. Trump, but your approval rating has slipped below 20%. You’re fired.” ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2017, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/49 "2017-05-29T16:15:57Z")
What if it happened at noon and someone who voted on their way to work wanted to change their mind? Really anyone who doesn’t wait until the last possible second is going to have to make a choice whether they have enough information to vote _now_. Voting by mail makes it convenient for those who really did know months in advance. I’m in WA - which is entirely vote by mail. Ballots have to be postmarked no later than election0 day. You can fill out your ballot and wait until election day and drop it off right at the deadline (which I’ve done and seen other people do) or drive it to the post office with late hours at the last second. The benefits of only having a single day on which a person must cast a ballot or give up their ability to vote seem far outweighed by the negatives - especially for those who aren’t going to change their votes no matter what. I’ve also not seen the stats on downballot voting. I wonder if people are more likely to vote on the less flashy races in places with mail in voting. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2017, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/50 "2017-05-30T17:21:41Z")
**Bricker** , it’s been five days since you started this, but you haven’t responded. Are you going to tell us what the benefits of having everyone vote at the same time are? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2017, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416/51 "2017-05-31T14:33:18Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > [Look up, wa-a-y up](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index). I just wanted to say that whoever thought to insert the column headers into the document so that there were always visible as the article is scrolled has my thanks; I’ve seen plenty of things online or in .PDF that needed this but rarely see it done. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-by-mail-downside-voters-are-unable-to-react-to-last-minute-information/787416.md?page=2)