What's going on with early voting?

[genius]

Tonight, someone (on our side) told me that they were saying on national TV that the early voting was pro-Bush. I've been out campaigning for Kerry, ect., all day, and last I heard we were ahead. Does anyone have any figures?

[The Traveler]

1. Everything I have heard sez Kerry is out front.

But like everything else it is of uncertain reliability and significance. But ... hey ... the Redskins lost!

[davepc]

2. they dont actually COUNT ANYTHING

Untill tuesday.

[Jersey Devil]

6. Yes they do

They count the absentee votes which are by hand so they have the results ready for the close of the polls on election day. Most states have members of both parties in their boards of elections and phone calls are made with "leaked" information. I have had absentee results a few hours before the polls have closed more than a few times.

[Starlight]

12. Absentee Ballot Counting by State

STATE WHEN ARE ABSENTEE BALLOTS NORMALLY COUNTED WHO NORMALLY COUNTS ABSENTEE BALLOTS


AL CLOSE OF POLLS POLLWORKERS
AK 8PM ELECTION DAY DIST. AB BALLOT COUNT BOARD
AZ ELECTION DAY & 5 DAYS BEYOND CENTRAL COUNTING
AR 7:30 PM ELECTION DAY ABSENT ELECTION BOARD
CA 5PM DAY BEFORE ELECTION SPECIAL COUNTING BOARD

CO 10 DAYS PRIOR TO CLOSE ELEC NIGHT AT LEAST 3 COUNTY JUDGES
CT NOT BEFORE NOON ELECT. DAY ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNTERS
DE PRIOR TO CLOSE OF POLLS ELECTION JUDGES
DC UP TO 10 DAYS AFTER ELECTION D.C. BOARD OF ELECTIONS
FL 7PM ELECTION DAY COUNTY CANVASSING BOARD

GA CLOSE OF POLLS ABSENTEE BALLOT MANGER
HI ELECTION DAY CHIEF ELECTION OFFICER
ID CLOSE OF POLLS COUNTY CLERKS & ELECTION JUDGES
IL CLOSE OF POLLS PANEL OF ELECTION JUDGES
IN ELECTION DAY PREC. ELEC. or CENTRALCOUNTING BOARD

IA ELECTION DAY ELECTION BOARD
KS OPENING OF POLLS (COUNTY) SPECIAL ELECTION BOARD
KY BEG. 3PM ELECT. DAY COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
LA AFTER 1PM BEFORE 8PM D.O.E. BOARD OF ELECTION SUPERVISORS
ME CLOSE OF POLLS OR PRIOR* ELECTION CLERKS

MD 10 am THURS. AFTER ELECTION DAY COUNTY BOARD
MA ELECTION DAY LOCAL ELECTION OFFICIAL
MI CLOSE OF POLLS/7AM OPTION PRECINCT ELECTION or ABSENT VOTER BD
MN 8PM ELECTION DAY ELECTION JUDGES
MS CLOSE OF POLLS PRECINCT ELECTION MANAGERS

MO ELECTION DAY (may prepare earlier) ELECTION JUDGES BIPART. TEAMS
MT PRIOR TO CLOSE/NOT BEFORE OPEN ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNTING BOARD
NE TIME SE T BY CO. ELECT. OFFICER ABSENT VOTERS COUNTING BOARD
NV ELECTION DAY ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNTING BOARD
NH CLOSE OF POLLS PRECINCT MODERATOR

NJ ELECTION DAY COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
NM 7PM ELECTION DAY ABSENTEE VOTER PRECINCT BOARD
NY CLOSE OF POLLS INSP. OF ELECT/ CENTRAL COUNTING
NC 5PM ELECTION DAY COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
ND CLOSE OF POLLS ABSENTEE BALLOT COUNTING BOARD

OH CLOSE OF POLLS SPECIAL ELECTION JUDGES
OK 7PM ELECTION DAY COUNTY ELECTION BOARD
OR UPON DELIVERY OF POLL BOOKS ELECTION OFFICIAL
PA CLOSE OF POLLS PRECINCT ELECTION BOARD
RI 9PM ELECTION DAY STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS

SC 7PM ELECTION DAY ABSENTEE POLL MANAGERS
SD CLOSE OF POLLS AB BIT BOARD/PRECINCT CANV. BOARD
TN OPENING OF POLLS CENTRAL AB. BALLOT COUNT BOARD
TX ELECTION DAY** EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD
UT ELECTION DAY OR MON. AFTER ELECT. ELECTION JUDGES

VT CLOSE OF POLLS BIPARTISAN ELECTION JUDGES
VA CLOSE OF POLLS ELECT OFF/CENTRAL COUNT
WA 8PM ELECTION DAY & PRIOR TO CERT. CANVASSING BOARD
WV CLOSE OF POLLS PRECINCT ELECTION COMMISSIONERS
WI BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSE OF POLLS WARD ELECTION INSPECTORS
WY CLOSE OF POLLS CNTY CLERK OR 3 ELECTION JUDGES

[montana500]

3. the early voting in the low IQ states is leading Bush

But Kerry is up in Iowa and Florida in early voting by + 10.

[genius]

4. By low IQ, do you mean Texas and Louisana & other So states?

[blitzen]

5. here's what i read on DU a few days back....

Not all states have early voting. The ones that do lean heavily to Chimp. Chimp is estimated to be leading, but by much less than he did in the same territory in 2000. In other words, he's toast.

[high density]

7. I've seen conflicting numbers

I've heard stuff on this board that shows Kerry way ahead and polls that show Bush significantly ahead. It's hard to say.

In the latest CBS/NYTimes poll, some of the respondents said they had already voted. Of those people, 51% said they had cast a vote for Bush and 43% said they voted for Kerry.

[deadparrot]

8. I was told that a lot of that "lead" is due to

polls opening in solid red states (like TX), but not in solid blue states (like NY).

Kerry seems to be kicking some swing state ass, though, if we can trust these post-vote polls.

It's important that Dems still turn up in droves on 11/2, though.

[DannyRed]

9. In FL and IA...

USAToday

DesMoines Register

we find 30% voting early, breaking 51-43 in favor of KERRY in FLORIDA!!!

and 27% voting early, breaking 52-41 in favor of KERRY in IOWA!!

Why those do not total 100%...I dunno.

But there it is.

WOOO WOOOO...

[LiberalAndProud]

10. 6-7% (all Republicans) did not cast a vote for president. I'm guessing.

[SoCalDem]

11. They "count" it this way..

The voter lists are public information.. Let's say that the Dems "know" you are registered as a Dem. They call each day of early voting, to get a list of voters that they can then call and remind to go vote.. When they are told that you have already voted, they can take you off their call list, and they "assume" that you have cast a vote for kerry..

so if they call to get the new list faxed, and find 500 fewer dem names on the list, due to early voting, they know the total registered, and they do the math.. They also get the repube lists..they do NOT call them to remind them to vote though :)

So if the repube list has 100 fewer names and the Dem list has 500 fewer, they "know" that they are WAAAAY ahead..:)

[jfern]

13. It's not a problem

The early voting states tend to be Republican. They include the rockies, Texas, Oklahoma, and a lot of the south.