# Voting next month? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 6, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786 "2016-10-06T17:57:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/1 "2016-10-06T17:57:20Z")
I’m doing one of them those absent t ballots…anyone else? Seems like it would be a lot more relaxing AND I can study all the silly ass questions they have that they want you to vote on. Plus you can always look up the law they want to pass! ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/2 "2016-10-06T18:44:18Z")
We got our sample ballot in the mail earlier this week, and apparently, there’s early voting at a local VFD on weekends. We’ll probably go ahead and cast our ballots. There are only 1 or 2 ballot questions, and the inevitable “Do you want to keep this judge?” - why do people vote on that? I know nothing about any of the judges. Anyway, we’ll beat the crowds this way. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/3 "2016-10-06T19:04:51Z")
In Washington State every election is 100% mail-in ballots. It’s great. The ballot comes to my mailbox a few weeks for before election day and I can fill it out, and then either mail it or drop it off at many nearby locations. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2016, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/4 "2016-10-06T22:46:48Z")
I’m on the permanent list for mail in ballots in Arizona. Ballots are expected to be mailed to voters starting on October 12, so I’ll have a few weeks to make up my mind before Election Day. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2016, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/5 "2016-10-06T22:58:32Z")
Voting early feels like opening my presents before Christmas 😃 I’m not at all opposed to the notion and am glad it’s available if it increases total voters; I’m just a traditionalist ---
**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:** [October 7, 2016, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/6 "2016-10-07T00:38:24Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/7 "2016-10-07T01:10:56Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > In Washington State every election is 100% mail-in ballots. It’s great. The ballot comes to my mailbox a few weeks for before election day and I can fill it out, and then either mail it or drop it off at many nearby locations. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/8 "2016-10-07T01:40:57Z")
I ordered my ballot online yesterday. I don’t know when I’m filling it out, though. mailing it is so final. ---
**Author:** ![orderfire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orderfire/32/10908_2.png) [@orderfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orderfire)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/9 "2016-10-07T12:45:50Z")
Fuck yes, I’m voting. Made sure dad would get his absentee ballot brought right to him in the nursing home, too. I told him “You’re not going anywhere until after the election, so don’t even think about it.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/10 "2016-10-07T13:58:58Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > In Washington State every election is 100% mail-in ballots. It’s great. The ballot comes to my mailbox a few weeks for before election day and I can fill it out, and then either mail it or drop it off at many nearby locations. Ditto for Oregon. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/11 "2016-10-07T14:01:18Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > In Washington State every election is 100% mail-in ballots. It’s great. The ballot comes to my mailbox a few weeks for before election day and I can fill it out, and then either mail it or drop it off at many nearby locations. Well hot damn! It should be that way country wide! Do you think more people would vote? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2016, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/12 "2016-10-07T14:04:45Z")
Sent mine in today. And now we play the waiting game… For those looking for more detail on ballot initiatives I recommend [Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Main_Page). I found it extremely useful for unpicking some very misleading language on one of the Florida initiatives, and it even shows who the supporters and opponents of each initiative are which can be very revealing in itself. ---
**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:** [October 7, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/13 "2016-10-07T17:32:51Z")
No. Voted last month. Mailed it on the 26th. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/14 "2016-10-10T21:56:47Z")
We got ours on Saturday…haven’t opened them yet. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/15 "2016-10-10T22:00:34Z")
In Texas, if you’re 65 or older on election day, you can go online and order a mail-in ballot [here](http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/voter/reqabbm.shtml). (I’m not sure there are that many old Texans here on the board, but your parents, grandparents, other relatives might want to avoid the long lines and fistfights on election day. Just sayin’.) I wasn’t 65 in the last Presidential election, but I sure as hell am now. Some of those senior perk things are pretty handy. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2016, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/16 "2016-10-10T22:01:47Z")
> [@WildBlueYonder](#): > > Well hot damn! It should be that way country wide! > > Do you think more people would vote? Apparently, not by as much as you’d think. [cite](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2015/12/21/voting-only-by-mail-can-decrease-or-increase-turnout-wait-what/) > [@](#): > > In Washington, researchers found that switching to all-mail elections increased overall participation by about three percentage points in presidential and midterm elections. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/voting-next-month/767786/17 "2016-10-10T22:16:14Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > > [@Procrustus](#): > > > > In Washington State every election is 100% mail-in ballots. It’s great. The ballot comes to my mailbox a few weeks for before election day and I can fill it out, and then either mail it or drop it off at many nearby locations. > > Yep. My voter’s guide is marked up and ready for the ballot to arrive. As soon as it does I’ll fill it out and drop it off at the county admin building, which is only a couple of miles from me as the guttersnipe flies. There’s an ulterior motive to this: when my name is checked off on the rolls the mailings and phone calls (mercifully few, so far) tend to stop.