Should the U.S. have "Vote by Mail" in every state?
I was born and raised in California and live most of my life there. Then in 2010, I moved to Oregon, where they vote by mail. I now in in Washington state where they also have vote by mail.
The system makes it difficult for voter fraud.
Although there is an initial higher cost, the mong term costs are much less than having voter polls on a perticular Tuesday.
You don't have to take off for work to vote, have to locate your polling place or find parking.
Your ballot arrive about two and a half weeks before election day. That gives you time to look over candidates and ballot issues and even research them on the net, before casting your vote. You just need to get the ballot in the mail a few days before election day, or can drop it off at designated locations if you waited until teh lat minute, if it is too late to mail your ballot.
Those are the benefits. On the downside, if a scandal comes out in the last week before the election, and you already sent in your ballot, you are just out of luck.
You have to provide your own first class stamp to return the ballot (which probably costs less than the gas your woudl burn going to the polling place and finding parking.)
So, what do you think? Should we do vote by mail in the U.S. nation wide?
1
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And....have six months to vote or a day off to vote.
VIKINGKING
Level 4
Jan 13, 2018
0
In Oregon and Washington states, (I have lived in both states), we get ballots about three weeks before an election (deadline) day. People who wait until the last minute can still drop off ballots off at designated places.
Vote by mail....maybe a voting station like an ATM. No registration, just a photo taken there and a Social Security number. The IRS doesn't seem to miss a thing. Voting could be the same way. Get a voting ticket on your tax return!
VIKINGKING
Level 4
Jan 13, 2018
0
Getting the IRS involved seems a little too 1984ish to me.
In Oregon and Washington (I've lived in both states) the vote by mail system works just fine. Ballots are still secret, and they have a way to verify ballots when they come in, and it would be very difficult for anyone to attempt any kind of voter fraud. Those who have tried have been aught at it and prosecuted.
Yes although you don’t need the stamp if you drop it in a conveniently placed voter box. I just carried my ballot in the car until life took me close to one.
rainmanjr
Level 8
Dec 14, 2017
1
Locally, I can drop my ballot envelope off at the local library if I don't want to use a stamp or don't have one.
You would trust our democracy to the U.S. Postal Service?
andygee
Level 7
Dec 13, 2017
0
I'd trust postal workers to handle mail better than volunteers in polling stations. The way things are handled postal employees have no way of knowing the party affiliation of the person mailing a ballot. also, Federal laws regarding tampering with the mail add protections in addition to election laws.
Yes. We do in WA. And they have drop boxes for ballots so you can wait until the last minute and / or not need a stamp if you wish.
shockwaverider
Level 8
Dec 13, 2017
0
Of course. Voting should be made as easy and convenient as possible. In many European countries, voting day is a national holiday or on a Sunday when most are not working.
wordywalt
Level 9
Dec 13, 2017
1
Incidentally, I don't know what voting laws are in your state, but I have been voting by mail for 17 years, simply by asking for an absentee ballot. I just renew the absentee request by e-mail every election. They never asked why I need an absentee ballot, and I never gave them a reason If they ever ask for a reason, I will happily say that I will be out of town on election day
Chance of scandal greater today-no on voting through mail.
sassygirl3869
Level 9
Dec 13, 2017
0
They actually figured out how to avoid most problems and vote by mail is less problematic (with fraud and scandals) than standard voting in polling places.
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