Early Voting

[Durandal7]

I'm curious as to what everyone's opinion on early voting is.

I don't really like it. Here's a hypothetical situation:
40,000 people vote early in your state. Half for Bush, half for Kerry. They all vote in mid-October. On November 1st, let's say that Bush decides to go out in the blaze of glory by nuking Boston or Kerry poses for a photo-op with Osama Bin Laden (hypothetical, don't flame me).

The problem is, now you've got 20,000 angry voters storming polling places declaring that America is a free country and they have a constitutional right to change their vote.

I realize the example is over the top, but I'm afraid in some future election there will be a candidate who alienates his or her base in the week leading up to the election. At some point we will have to deal with pissed off early voters who want to change their votes.

[Don't panic]

I'm curious as to what everyone's opinion on early voting is.

I don't really like it. Here's a hypothetical situation:
40,000 people vote early in your state. Half for Bush, half for Kerry. They all vote in mid-October. On November 1st, let's say that Bush decides to go out in the blaze of glory by nuking Boston or Kerry poses for a photo-op with Osama Bin Laden (hypothetical, don't flame me).

The problem is, now you've got 20,000 angry voters storming polling places declaring that America is a free country and they have a constitutional right to change their vote.

I realize the example is over the top, but I'm afraid in some future election there will be a candidate who alienates his or her base in the week leading up to the election. At some point we will have to deal with pissed off early voters who want to change their votes.

how is that different from people voting nov 2 in the morning and changing their mind in the afternoon, or on november 3rd, for that matter?
if one understands the system, than he/she should know that there are some trade-offs with the convenience of voting early. namely, you don't get to hear the campaign till the very end.

what I don't like is voting by absentee ballot, or in any way that the vote is traceable to one's person, because it makes the system too prone to abuses (like there aren't enough already). another thing that I find completely insane is that you have to register (EVERYONE having right should be automatically registered), and especially the party affiliation part.
what's the point other than rigging the elections?
vote should be universal, secret and untraceable.

[atszyman]

how is that different from people voting nov 2 in the morning and changing their mind in the afternoon, or on november 3rd, for that matter?

Exactly. If Bush wins and two weeks later declares himself emperor, there will be a lot of p.o'ed voters.

The chances of someone ****ing themselves in the last two weeks before election day is slim anyhow. With as close as this election is neither of the candidates is doing anything remotely controversial.

[Lyle]

another thing that I find completely insane is that you have to register... especially the party affiliation part.This is just a side question, but is it required to specify your party affiliation when you register to vote? Does this perhaps vary from state to state? It's been several years now since I registered and so I don't remember the particulars anymore, but I don't think I was required to say anything about which party I supported.

[pseudobrit]

another thing that I find completely insane is that you have to register (EVERYONE having right should be automatically registered), and especially the party affiliation part.

This is just a side question, but is it required to specify your party affiliation when you register to vote? Does this perhaps vary from state to state? It's been several years now since I registered and so I don't remember the particulars anymore, but I don't think I was required to say anything about which party I supported.

Voter registration prevents voter fraud. As much as VEVO can still work if you're tricky, the registration process makes it more difficult for most areas' average voter.

Party affiliation is required in order to participate in primary elections. In most states, primaries are not open, so only registered members of the party are allowed choose the candidate of their party to run in the general election.
This is a good thing.