The history of absentee voting has been around for centuries, allowing farmers and soldiers a way to vote when they were unable to come in from the field or walk away from the war front. By the end of World War I fewer than half the states allowed absentee votes to people who could demonstrate a work-related reason for being absent on Election Day. Today absentee voting is offered in every state, allowing us the privilege to exercise our right when we are unable to vote at our precinct on Election Day.
It is a terrific mechanism that allows us to vote when we have commitments to keep, are out of town, ill, without transportation and so on. It’s a mechanism that should always be part of our election process, but the use of the absentee vote should be respected and carefully considered. After every election, there is always considerable press coverage regarding absentee ballots and mail-ins: delayed issuance of absentee ballots, incorrect postage, delays in counting, changing laws that require earlier submittal deadlines and the list goes on. With today’s increasing number of absentee voters and in light of the ongoing issues related to the process time after time, perhaps voters should be more responsible by carefully weighing our decision to use the absentee vote. Is it out of mere convenience so we can be home in time to watch re-runs of “Friends” or do we have just cause? We will stand in lines overnight for playoff and concert tickets yet we opt to stay home during Election Day. While the lawmakers can look at changing the rules, we the people can do our part by embracing our local polling places, our right to vote and cast our vote in person!
Joe Brown
Granite Falls
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