Early Vs. Absentee Voting
- Absentee voting first took place in the United States during the Civil War, when the Union provided soldiers stationed away from home with ballots. While the right to vote absentee was initially restricted to members of the military, it was soon offered to civilians who could show a demonstrable, work-related need to do so, and by World War I, more than 20 states offered some form of absentee voting
- Early voting is offered in some form by more than 30 states as of May 2010. This form of voting, which also is called in-person absentee, no-excuse absentee voting, takes place at a set date or for a set period before Election Day and usually ends the weekend before an election . In a process sometimes called one-stop voting, voters typically cast their ballots either at a polling station or satellite location designated by the government . Early voting--unlike absentee voting--is typically conducted on the same equipment used for regular voting. Most states allow residents to vote early without providing a reason for doing so.
- Absentee voting is conducted at a location other than a polling station by a separate ballot provided by the elections division. While all states offer some form of absentee voting, as of May 2010, 29 allow this form of voting without an elector providing a reason for doing so. Absentee ballots are typically mailed in, although some states allow voters to hand deliver or fax in their ballots. While the deadlines for absentee voting vary by state, most jurisdictions require that absentee ballots be received by election day. Some states provide the postage for absentee ballots.
- The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, enacted in 1986, requires that every state and territory allow enlisted members of the military, their family members and American citizens residing abroad to vote absentee in federal elections. Some states allow American citizens who have never resided in the United States to vote using absentee ballots. The Federal Voting Assistance Program was established to monitor absentee voting covered by the act.
- Proponents of early and absentee voting argue that it increases election turnout and provides ballots to people who might otherwise have been unable to vote. Earlier voting also allows election officials to become aware of and correct voting problems before Election Day. Critics contend that these alternative forms of voting increase the potential for voting fraud--especially when ballots are sent in--and make votes more difficult to count.
