Why we NEED to vote early and encourage others to do the same.

[blondeatlast]

I've seen posts discouraging people from voting by mail or voting early.

BIG mistake, IMHO.

We need to grab the momentum while we have it--which is NOW.

Polling shows people are fed up to here with W's bullshit and watching the "pundits" (Tweety specifically) it's clear that those who follow the blow of the wind are trending our way.

Look at falling gas prices and the fact that new home sales (allegedly) rose by 4% last month (I'm in the market right now; I don't believe it for a moment--I'm waiting for prices to fall yet again). I'm no tin-foil hatter--it does horrible things when interacting with the dye--but I truly believe both figures are being massaged or manipulated.

Vote early, vote by mail, and get your cousin, neighbor, co-worker, dry-cleaner, and favorite barista to do the same. And pass it on, on, on.

Personally, I can't wait (but I must).

Right now, it's ours to WIN.

VOTE ASAP. :patriot:

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. In the 2004 Election in FL

Bush won the absentee vote, but Kerry WON the Early Vote.

Early Voting is the best way to vote because you have to vote in person and if you run into any problems you have time to resolve them.

Vote Early!

[babylonsister]

2. One problem: if you vote on a paperless machine, you don't

know how your vote will register, so how can that be resolved?

I'd also add, don't vote straight Dem; vote on each race individually. Might be harder to screw with.

[DoYouEverWonder]

6. Fortunately I live in a county

that uses paper ballots that are scanned. The scanners can be hacked to, but at least there is a paper record.

In a county with ether votes, you're screwed no matter how you vote. You still might as well show up early just in case they can't find you or someone else voted absentee for you.

[rzemanfl]

3. Dems here are being told to vote absentee, which to my mind is

about as sensible as throwing your vote in the trash. As bad as the machines are, at least the odds are that your vote will not be one of the ones they flip and there is a chance they will guess wrong as to how many they have to flip or might get caught trying. Sending in an absentee ballot with your party affiliation on it (assuming it doesn't get "lost") is an invitation for it to get shredded or "missplaced."

[Imalittleteapot]

4. No thanks. Fort Worth early voters have to cast their

ballots on electronic machines. At least we have an option on election day to use optical scan or electronic.

[blondeatlast]

5. Sigh. Okay, if you can't all be bothered to read my whole post, I give.

I'll stay home on 11/7, too--there's no money back guarantees then, either.

[BeFree]

9. Easy now

There is no "One size fits all" when it comes to how one casts their vote.

Each person should consider all the local particulars when deciding. Everybody should know what type of machines are used, the trustworhtiness of their local election boards, and how the votes came out in 2004. Only then can one make the correct decisions.

But discussing the matter here on DU is good.

[blondeatlast]

12. Thanks, I needed that.

This si the first election my newly sworn-in hubby will be eligible to vote in and he's feeling discouraged about his vote. I need to prop him and it seems like it's all negativity that he hears.

[Wilms]

7. Really risky idea in most cases.

What do gas prices and "momentum" have to do with it?

WTF is the basis for your posting this (ie: other than gas prices)?

[blondeatlast]

8. Never mind, you've all convinced me to stay the hell home. Period.

Hell, I just won't vote at all. I mean, Christ, I don't get a fricking money-back guarantee that any vote will count, so why the hell bother?!

I'm so damn disgusted I give the frick up.

[Wilms]

10. Hmmmm.

That seems pretty dumb, too.

A lot of absentee/early vote proponents on DU displaying lots of emotion, zero logic, and little knowledge of voting laws and systems.

I hope the epidemic is not too widespread.

[blondeatlast]

11. So educate me, please.

Sorry, but I'm truly pissed.

We've got serious momentum our way now--mind that I live in a very reddish state and one Senate seat is in a serious contest. I want my neighbiors, who aren't left-wing political wonks, to vote NOW while they see things against the administration.

I know how things go in my state. Falling gas prices, new home starts--that sounds good for the people in power now. In my state, we have a reasonable chance of unseating a popular Repubklican Senator, but of course, the fix is in, so there's no damn chance my work will matter anyway.

My hubby was sworn-in as a citizen in March and this will be his first election. He thinks already his vote won't count (his native country is rife with corruption). I want to do everything I can to encourage him, but he hears this crap from so many people he doesn't believe ME anymore.

[Wilms]

14. I see.

Get folk to vote while they're in a left-leaning mood, just in case the BFEE 9/11's us on election eve.

Fine.

However, as I wrote recently about absentee voting (and it's dubious prospects for convincing officials to drop e-voting)...

It's a state by state - jurisdiction by jurisdiction affair. What is the equipment used? What are the procedures and regulations? What are the laws? Are absentee ballots included in any audit? (Doubt it.) Are they hand-counted? (Doubt it.) Are they entered into a DRE by a poll-worker? (Perhaps. That's already been done.) Is it a close race? (I think it was reasonable for progressives in CA to vote Nader in 2000 and unfortunate that they did so in FL. The Left needed all hands on deck there...the same deck.)

A blanket "Vote Absentee" recommendation sans consideration of the above and a legitimate campaign supporting it seems beyond futile. I think it's reckless.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

13. ...and often.

:rofl:

:hide:

[pinto]

15. Good point. I often encourage reluctant voters to go absentee/mail

'cause it's easy, you can vote from home, the time constraints are better, etc., etc,. Personally, I always vote on election day, in person, because I just like the whole process. My polling station is within walking distance and I enjoy going for coffee and stopping by the poll to sign in and vote. Just really like the feeling of being a part of it all. Kind of fun to see neighbors there as well. Just my 2 cents. Thanks for the post.

[proud patriot]

16. My husband and I are both voting absentee this year

It's our first time .