Why Tuesday? » Absentee ballots

‘Absentee ballots’ Category

Tuesday, February 19th, 2008

Today’s Crystal Ball(ots): Rising Turnout Leads into Uncharted Waters

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – I hopped off the campaign trail last week. I thought I needed some space, but I soon found myself yearning for the ebb-and-flow of election energy. Drama among the Democrats, rifts in the Republican base, increasing turnout, and polling percentages… for a political junkie it is all too addicting. Today’s candidate contests are being held in Wisconsin, Hawaii (for the Dems), and Washington (again). (more…)

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Posted in Campaign finance, Hawaii, Mail-in voting, Washington, Election Reform, Polling, Wisconsin, Absentee ballots, Legislation, Primary schedule, Election administration, Election 2008, Election Day registration, Early voting | 1 Comment »

Monday, February 4th, 2008

Voting: Who For, and How?

PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA — With the onset of Super Tuesday, the Press has started reporting on Barack Obama’s ability to mobilize new, youth and Independent voters, the other candidates’ advantages among established, older voters, and Hillary Clinton’s advantage among Hispanic and female voters. This week’s issue of TIME Magazine reports that Obama’s campaign tactics are more effective in states with forward-thinking election law. Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada have Same-Day Registration. Florida has early voting, but the DNC has stripped the Sunshine State’s democrats of their delegates, Republicans were able to keep half of theirs. (more…)

Posted in Absentee ballots, Election Day registration, Election 2008, New Hampshire, Colorado, Election Reform, What is Super Tuesday?, Nevada, Election administration, Iowa, General, Primary schedule, National Holiday, Legislation, Florida, Opinions, California, Early voting | No Comments »

Monday, January 21st, 2008

New Voters Abroad Online!

Following our video submission to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Executive Director and Why Tuesday? Chief Correspondent, Jacob Soboroff, sent me great news in an email this morning: voters abroad are now able to participate in the Democratic Primary via Internet!

Voting should be convenient for any eligible voter who wants to vote. And so the question remains: if ex-pats are good enough for this technology, isn’t everybody else who wants to vote? (more…)

Posted in Internet Voting, Internet Registration, Election Reform, Overseas Voting, Mail-in voting, Early voting, Election 2008, Absentee ballots, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Wednesday, November 8th, 2006

Jake Schroeder: Rep. Todd R. Platts (R - PA 19th) says “Having not been around at that point to say what their exact thought process was…”

Well, the elections are over, but we’re still trucking. Jake Schroeder just sent us this clip of Congressman Todd Platts “answering students questions at York Suburban High School in his 19th Congressional District on November 3rd. Students were free to ask any question ranging from border security to social security. I was able to ask him why we vote on Tuesdays.”

In what might be the longest discussion of participation and its woes we’ve gotten so far, Congressman Platts makes several interesting points. He comes down hard in favor of absentee ballots: he thinks that they represent an important way to make sure that people who are unable to make it to the polls are allowed to exercise the franchise. He disagrees with the idea that weekend voting would help, using an argument often used against “convenience voting,” which is that certain ways of making voting more convenient denigrate the institution (”it’s an excuse”). And, lastly, he points out that a lof these questions can be solved at the State level- something we’re aware of as well, and which has got us thinking.

What are the states doing? For a breakdown of no-excuse absentee balloting and in-person absentee balloting (early voting), click here. It seems that, at the State level, reform is alive and well: 35 states allow people, without any explanation, to vote in-person or by mail over a wide variety of dates ranging from 15-31 days prior to the election; 36 if you count the fact that the majority of Washington votes by mail. How has this affected turnout? What does this mean for the remaining fifteen? To what extent do people in these states know about their options? Stay tuned for more…

Posted in WT? Correspondents, Election Reform, Absentee ballots, Pennsylvania, Get Out The Why?, Weekend voting | Comments Off

Sunday, November 5th, 2006

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R - CA 52nd) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R - CA 49th): “You want to increase voter awareness”

In this epic segment, the Road Team kicks it all telejournalist in San Diego, speaking to Congressman Duncan Hunter (who’s considering-slash-preparing announcing a 2008 Presidential bid) and Congressman Darrell Issa at a fundraiser for the former. Both had some interesting points to make: Representative Hunter feels the issue is that people aren’t inspired, rather than that the day makes it difficult. And Representative Issa brought up an interesting point about multi-day voting and how it’s used to good effect in many countries.

In fact, a number of states already offer multi-day voting here in the U.S., either in the form of no-excuse absentee balloting (by mail) or no-excuse in-person absentee balloting (early voting). Some people- like Congressman Issa- do think universalizing this practice would appreciably increase turnout. Another solution to consider as we continue bringing together every serious election reform proposal we run across.

Posted in Election Reform, Absentee ballots, Election 2008, California, Early voting | Comments Off

Why Tuesday? is an effort to make America’s democracy stronger through increased voter participation. We work to make election reform an issue that our politicians cannot afford to avoid.