I don’t know about you, but I’ve always really enjoyed going to the polls after work to vote on Election Day. It reminds me that what I’m doing is participating with my community in a very important shared civic responsibility.
This year, however, I voted early, and I’m encouraging everyone I know to do the same. There are a number of reasons to vote early — not least is the fact that something (car trouble, illness, bad weather, etc.) could happen to prevent me from getting there, especially if I’ve only allowed time at the end of the day. Voting early, in person or by mail/drop box, provides additional time as a backup plan.
It’s also worth recognizing that anyone could have a problem with their registration (I did once, at the end of Election Day). If registration issues are found sooner, there’s more time to correct them, which helps to ensure that your ballot will be accepted and your vote counted.
Voting early makes voting easier for people who have to work on Election Day and those who don’t have flexible schedules for other reasons. Election Day always falls on a Tuesday, which means voting has to compete with school pick-ups, medical appointments, caregiving, second jobs, classes, and transportation problems. Early voting provides more chances to fit voting into daily life instead of forcing everything into one day.
In addition, this year there are concerns regarding the possibility of voter intimidation at the polls on Election Day. While the overall risk may be low in Franklin County, if you vote early at your town or city hall, you may be less likely to be challenged or prevented from voting even when you’re eligible and registered.
Early voting (now through Oct. 30) is all about increasing access for all eligible voters nationwide and making sure that every vote counts. This is more important than ever as attempts to restrict access and suppress votes have increased. After all, if our votes didn’t matter, there wouldn’t be so much effort to keep us from casting our ballots!
Lisa Appleton
Greenfield