{{cquote|I would prefer more educated voters than a greater increase in the number of voters. If you don't believe this is an efort ''Early voting[sic]''' refers to extending voting over many days, maximize Democratic votes pure and even weekssimple, then you are not a realist. This is a partisan stunt and allow people I hope it can be stopped.|||Georgia legislator Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) explaining his opposition to mail-in ballots rather than show up in person having early voting on election day without having to provide Sunday at a valid excusemall "dominated by African American shoppers"|}}<ref>[https://www. '''''It is a liberal gimmick that has the effect of partially disenfranchising the value of informed votes on Election Day'''''facebook.com/millar.ga/posts/718236501557052?comment_id=718266534887382&comment_tracking=%7B%22tn%22%3A%22R9%22%7D]</ref>
Traditionally'''Early voting''' refers to extending voting over many days, absentee voters had and even weeks, and allow people to state one of several allowed reasons to vote before mail-in ballots rather than show up in person on election day, while early voting encourages all eligible voters without having to cast ballots that are not fully informedprovide a valid excuse. A January 2014 report by the President's Commission on Election Administration stated, prior "In order to limit congestion on Election Day. Scholars consider both early voting and absentee voting to be forms respond to the demand for greater opportunities to vote beyond the traditional Election Day polling place, states that have not already done so should expand alternative ways of "convenience voting",such as mail balloting and in-person early voting."<ref>{{cite web|url=[http://earlyvotingelectionlawblog.netorg/research/journalwp-articlecontent/convenienceuploads/pcea-final-report.pdf The American Voting Experience: Report and Recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration], p. 3</ref> The report further described a "bipartisan consensus of election administrators in favor of votingbefore Election Day".<ref>[http://electionlawblog.org/wp-gronke-galanes-rosenbaumcontent/uploads/pcea-millerfinal-toffey-2008/|title=Convenience report.pdf The American Voting|author=Gronke, Galanes-Rosenbaum, Miller, Toffey|accessdate=October 30Experience: Report and Recommendations of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration], 2012}}p. 57</ref> which are used by more that 30% of United States voters.
'''''It is a liberal gimmick that has the effect of partially disenfranchising the value of informed votes on Election Day'''''. In 2013, states began working towards a restoration of [[Election Day]] voting by cutting back on the expansive early voting. For example, Nebraska trimmed its period of early voting back a bit.<ref>http://www.propublica.org/article/voting-rights-by-state-map</ref> Early voting increases taxpayer expenses by millions of dollars but does not increase turnout.Doug Preisse, a Republican member of the Franklin County Board of Elections, described early voting as "contort[ing] the voting process to accommodate the urban — read African-American — voter-turnout machine."<ref>[http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/08/19/fight-over-poll-hours-isnt-just-political.html]</ref> "Early voting, in a sense, is like having my students evaluate my course halfway through the first class," said Professor Matt Streb, who also observed that early voting does not increase overall voter turnout.<ref>http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20121111/news/711119900/</ref> Traditionally, absentee voters had to state one of several allowed reasons to vote before election day, while early voting permits all eligible voters to cast ballots that are not fully informed, prior to Election Day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://earlyvoting.net/research/journal-article/convenience-voting-gronke-galanes-rosenbaum-miller-toffey-2008/|title=Convenience Voting|author=Gronke, Galanes-Rosenbaum, Miller, Toffey|accessdate=October 30, 2012}}</ref> which are used by more that 30% of United States voters. Early voting has spread as Democrats realize that the uninformed votes give them a comparative advantage. As pushed by [[Democrat]]s, many states in the United States have laws adopting forms of early voting. According to the Early Voting Center at Reed College, the following states allow early voting in 2012: North Carolina, Indiana, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Georgia, Arkansas, Idaho, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Louisiana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, California, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Nevada and Hawaii.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reed.edu/earlyvoting/calendar/|title=Early voting calendar, 2012|accessdate=October 30, 2012}}</ref> Liberal-leaning foreign nations have also adopted some form of early voting, such as Australia, Canada, Finland, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Thailand.
In 2008, one-third of Americans voted prior to Election Day, and that fraction increased to 40% or so in 2012. In the [[Mystery:Nevada Election 2010|Nevada Election 2010]], more than half the votes cast were by early voting. Some states make the list of early voters and absentee voters available to the public or to the political campaigns. By contrast, all states make the list of voters available after an election.
|Ohio
|18
|25%(increased to nearly 40% in 2012)
|-
|'''Virginia
|}
==Possible impacts==
There are two major objections to early voting. First, it facilitates voter intimidation, particularly by unions and large employers that try to increase turnout by their people.<ref>"Executives at the [[casino]] giant Harrah's pushed company employees to vote early in an all-out effort to help the [[Harry Reid]] campaign, according to internal emails obtained by Battle ‘10." [http://nation.foxnews.com/harry-reid/2010/11/02/hot-air-did-harrahs-casino-pressure-employees-vote-reid#ixzz2AYEDHlaD]</ref> Scholars have noted that early voting, vote-by-mail and similar schemes eliminate the secret ballot—which is essential to preserving electoral integrity. Second, it increases the potential for [[voter fraud]], particularly in the absence of protections that safeguard the integrity of physical votes.<ref>See, e.g., "Early Voting Fraud," ''National Review'' [http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/251345/early-voting-fraud-deroy-murdock].</ref> Some critics claim early voting establishes a mechanism where union bosses and the Democratic machine can harass Americans until they vote. This risks infringement on the right '''''not''''' to vote.
While early voting plainly undermines the notion of a uniform [[Election Day]], various arguments are used, typically by Democrats, to advocate its adoption by state legislatures. One argument is that early voting increases overall turnout. Another argument used in [[Ohio]] is that Ohio voters should not have to wait in line until 4:00 am the following morning to cast a ballot in a presidential election, as happened in 2004.<ref>http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/2004-11-17-early-voting_x.htm</ref> Of course, extra poll workers, voting machines, and booths could be added for Election Day to address this concern. Some, including Ohio's [[Cuyahoga County]], argue that early voting can save money in this regard, as the same machines and equipment that would otherwise be idle can be used, avoiding the need to purchase new and expensive election equipment. But Political Science Professor Todd Eberly argues that early voting adds millions of dollars in expense while '''''lowering''''' overall voter turnout:<ref>http://marylandreporter.com/2012/09/10/early-voting-costs-counties-2-6m-but-hasnt-increased-turnout-yet/</ref>
Virginia provides the list of people who have requested absentee ballots or have in-person absentee voted to political parties "upon request and for a reasonable fee."<ref>[https://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?000+cod+24.2-710 Va. Code § 24.2-710.]</ref> The parties then contact voters based on that data.<ref name=disclose>{{cite news|title=Campaigns pay to track absentee ballots in Virginia|first=Errin|last=Haines|work=Washington Post|date=October 27, 2012|page=B1}}</ref>
In November 2012, liberal, [[Planned Parenthood]]-endorsed<ref>http://www.janethowell.com/content/endorsements</ref> [[Democrat]] State Senator Janet Howell renewed her call for Virginia to adopt early voting after a very small percentage voters had to stand in line for hours in the 2012 General election.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://washingtonexaminer.com/long-lines-reignite-push-for-early-voting-in-virginia/article/2513294#.UKN4aIU5V4s|title=Long lines reignite push for early voting in Virginia|date=November 12, 2012|work=Washington Examiner|accessdate=November 14, 2012|first=Steve|last=Contorno}}</ref>
==Wisconsin==
Wisconsin does not have formal early voting. However, Wisconsin allows both mail-in and in-person absentee voting. In-person absentee voting is held in the two weeks before each election.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gab.wi.gov/elections-voting/voters/absentee|title=Absentee Voting|work=Government Accountability Board|accessdate=October 30, 2012}}</ref>
== External links ==
*http://www.uakron.edu/bliss/research/archives/2010/EarlyVotingReport.pdf -- A pdf—A study of early voting in Ohio
[[categoryCategory:politicsPolitics]]