DUmmy wants to "disenfranchise" workers who work weekends.

[dane]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002651985
phantom power (20,425 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
 Voting - Why can't we do it on the week-end?

There are people who work shifts that keeps them at their jobs on weekends.  What is the proposed solution for them?

Others rely on public transportation, some of which is curtailed in some areas.  What about them?

Still others are care givers for ailing/elderly relatives and/or young children - and there is no one to take over while they go to the voting precinct.

As much as the DUmp likes to discuss "disenfranchise", why would they support an action that would do this for some voters.

The current system is workable.  My area has early voting, and the period of early voting always include two Saturdays.  That is sorta like the weekend this DUmmy wants to change to, and it is already in place.  Surely my area is not the only one that has early voting. 

There is the option of absentee voting, where the ballot is delivered and picked up by the postal delivery person.

[Ballygrl]

We need everyone to be voting on the same day, tired of this absentee ballot.

[Ogre]

Why does the DUmmy want to wait until the weekend?  It's not like the DUmmies have jobs in this great Obama economy.  

[dane]

We need everyone to be voting on the same day, tired of this absentee ballot.

Absentee ballot worked nicely for me several times when in the middle of the Atlantic on an aircraft carrier.

It also works well for many residents of nursing homes (for example).  Even getting some of them to the polling place is a great undertaking, and getting them inside is another.

[Freeper]

We need everyone to be voting on the same day, tired of this absentee ballot.

If one has a good reason then they should get one. Like being in the middle of the desert hunting terrorists, stuff like that.

[Delmar]

I've never voted by absentee ballot before. but I'd like to keep the option open if needed.  And not just for the "good" reasons, I'd hate to have to decide between going on vacation and voting.  Leave it to the crooked dems to give a legitimate voting arrangement a bad name.

[dixierose]

I've taken advantage of early voting several times. It starts here two weeks or so before the election. I think it's a great idea, and I'm glad that Georgia decided to go with it.

[thundley4]

I would mind seeing extended poll hours, and it would be nice if all states began and ended at the same time. 

[Ballygrl]

Absentee ballot worked nicely for me several times when in the middle of the Atlantic on an aircraft carrier.

It also works well for many residents of nursing homes (for example).  Even getting some of them to the polling place is a great undertaking, and getting them inside is another.

I actually misspoke, I meant to say early voting, I realize there's a need for absentee ballots for those in the military and those living abroad.

[dandi]

Why does the DUmmy want to wait until the weekend?  It's not like the DUmmies have jobs in this great Obama economy.  

Exactly. If I were a DUmmy, I wouldn't want voting on weekends because you'd have more job-holding Republicans voting, I would imagine.

[Dblhaul]

My state is all vote by mail.

[Aristotelian]

Voting here is 7am until 10pm, with postal or proxy voting if needed. I've done a postal vote once (when I was at university and there was a local election back home), and cast a proxy vote for a friend who was going to be on holiday in Europe on election day.

My problem with the push to increase the number of votes is that I don't think that every vote is the same - the person who looks into each candidate and decides which one he trusts is a million miles from the numskull who turns up still on a drugs high and votes for the Rats because he thinks that they'll make it easier for him to stay out of work and still be able to scrounge off the tax-payer.

[GOBUCKS]

I don't believe in early voting, and I don't think absentee ballots should be allowed for anyone physically able to come to the polls.

Anything that encourages disinterested, lazy, uninvolved people to vote is a bad thing.

"High turnout" is not in itself desirable.

[debk]

I've done early voting several times. Not because I'm lazy, but simply out of convenience.

I don't have to worry about something else coming up on election day, that might make it difficult for me to get to the poll.

Plus, to be honest, I hate crowds and standing in line for 30-40 minutes. I remember when my kids were little, I had to either take them with me (schools are closed here on election day, because the schools are used for polling places) or wait until my ex got home from work, after he voted, and then go. One year, I wasn't sure they were going to let me in, because the line was so long and the polls were closing. (they did let everyone in line at the time of closing in to vote)

Statistics have shown, at least around here, that since early voting has been going on, more people are voting. That to me, is a very good thing.

I do wish, though, that there was some way to coordinate the voting times around the country. And I totally detest the "exit polling" and  "projected winner", particularly in national elections. I think it causes too much of " why should I go vote,  he/she is going to win, what difference does my vote make?" , especially with voters who live out west, and are 2-3 hours behind the east coast. 

[Gina]

If one has a good reason then they should get one. Like being in the middle of the desert hunting terrorists, stuff like that.

do their votes even count?

And I do early voting. 

[debk]

do their votes even count?

And I do early voting. 

Often seems like there's an "excuse" as to why those votes don't make it to be counted.

Weren't there a whole bunch that went "missing" or something in the last election? Particularly the ones from the military in the mid-east?

[delilahmused]

Well they've already disenfranchised my son because he's in the military, why not my husband who works Saturday?

Cindie

[Gina]

Well they've already disenfranchised my son because he's in the military, why not my husband who works Saturday?

Cindie

Have I told you lately Thank you for your son and his service? 

[Aristotelian]

Anything that encourages disinterested, lazy, uninvolved people to vote is a bad thing.

"High turnout" is not in itself desirable.

Exactly.

[delilahmused]

Have I told you lately Thank you for your son and his service? 

Thank you...it really wasn't my choice but he just reenlisted a few months ago so he must love it.

Cindie

[Gina]

Thank you...it really wasn't my choice but he just reenlisted a few months ago so he must love it.

Cindie

must because I served under Clinton and I can't imagine serving under Obama

[Tucker]

Why does the DUmmy want to wait until the weekend?  It's not like the DUmmies have jobs in this great Obama economy.  

I'm all for it. I can't imagine a better scenario than being in a room full of DUmmies on bath day. It will never get any better than that.

[AllosaursRus]

Absentee ballot worked nicely for me several times when in the middle of the Atlantic on an aircraft carrier.

It also works well for many residents of nursing homes (for example).  Even getting some of them to the polling place is a great undertaking, and getting them inside is another.

Works for me as riding in a car just kicks my ass due to my back. Absentee voting only sucks when the Dems use it for voter fraud. We don't have that problem here, but pick any blue city and you'll find Mickey and Donald voting by absentee! To say nothin' of all the dead people who manage to crawl outa the grave long enough to fill out a ballot.

[debk]

Works for me as riding in a car just kicks my ass due to my back. Absentee voting only sucks when the Dems use it for voter fraud. We don't have that problem here, but pick any blue city and you'll find Mickey and Donald voting by absentee! To say nothin' of all the dead people who manage to crawl outa the grave long enough to fill out a ballot.

Amazin' how those ballots make it to be counted and the military ones don't...

[Shel]

There's always going to be people who it's inconvenient for...you can't please everyone all the time (the old adage holds true). Many counties are completely vote by mail solely due to budgets but I think most go to vote by mail for the voter's convenence. I had been an absentee voter my whole life, but still went to the poll location when I could. The switchover to all vote by mail made sense to me (though I miss getting my "I VOTED" sticker). I think there's only one county in my state (WA) that has poll locations open on election days and they are frequently in the news for voters having difficulties at the poll locations.