It seems deliberately confusing to me since there is no fundamental difference between voting now and voting on the day of the deadline, but the way it’s discussed and referred to seems to imply that the correct day to vote would be waiting until the last minute instead of voting just getting it out of the way weeks ahead of time.
Historically, all regular voting was done in-person on election day and mail-in ballots were a special exception (e.g., for people with disabilities). It’s only in the last few election cycles that voting by mail became the norm, and most people still use the pre-existing terminology.
Upvoted for correct, accurate, and complete information. I really don’t have much to add, other than to say good work!
I’ve voted 'early, in every election I’ve participated in. For as long as I’ve known, which is about to be 4 presidential and all of the elections in between, the polls have always been open for weeks.
That’s approaching 20 years, I don’t think it’s a new concept really at this point.
That’s less than 10% of the country’s life. Just because you didn’t exist before you were born does not mean that others did not.
…20 years…4 presidential elections?
Did you miss a few? Or am I worse at math than I thought?
Both answers are correct. 20 years divides into 5 sets of 4, but that’ would only be 5 elections if you started counting on an election year.
Sorry 15 years 2010 midterm and forward.
“Approaching 20 years” so exactly 20 years ago is 2004, which makes 5 elections not counting the present one: Bush Jr. 2.0, Obama, Obama 2.0, Trump, Biden. Figuring this person turned 18 and registered to vote in, say 2006 and missed voting in the 2004 election, that would be 18 years and 4 elections, this current one would be 5.
It’s a state-level policy, and there were a few states ahead of the curve.
I like to think we’re doing it right, and possibly setting an example for other states to follow. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/michigan-blazes-path-pro-democracy-reform
Not every state allows it and if they do it has to be a special reason in most states. So you must live in a lucky state or had an excuse every year
Same reason morning is earlier in the day than night. This is just how linear time works.
Right I get that.
But why is it marketed, for lack of a better term as early. Why wouldn’t it be, ‘the polls opens on October 20th, and you can vote late up to November 5th’
As somebody else mentioned, historically 99% of voting was done on election day. Opening the polling places earlier than that was the exception, and the terminology has simply stuck as the practice has expanded. Additionally, many jurisdictions have something materially different about voting early, whether different hours, looser location rules (I used to be able to early vote at any polling place in my county, but not now… thanks, Texas), etc., so it’s useful to refer to distinguish them somehow.
Election Day is traditionally the day to vote, campaigns are still running before that point. Anyone who votes earlier does so with less information than later voters. Trump could say something stupid between now and Election Day, and wouldn’t you feel bad if you’d already voted for him and couldn’t take it back?
Why wouldn’t it be, ‘the polls opens on October 20th, and you can vote late up to November 5th’
Why would it be? Election day is November 5th.
Because humans tend to give things names based on their relation to prior naming conventions. As voting on election day, singular, was common for so long then everything else is in relation to that aingular day concept.
No, a more accurate name will not be adopted because people are used to the current terminology and knows what it means. Just like we won’t switch ‘daylight savings time’ to ‘daylight shifting time’ even though that would be more accurate.
Historically the polls don’t open until the 5th, and as far as I’m aware, the votes aren’t counted until then even if they are submitted early.
When it was first added, early voting was not meant to be the way most people voted- it was meant to accommodate people who for one reason or another couldn’t make it to the polls that day.
It’s become increasingly more common as more people find out about it.
Is that how you think about your bills?
“Your rent can be paid on the 10th, and you can pay late up to the 31st”
Once upon a time we had Election Day. The polls were open for one day. Election Day, Nov 5, is still a thing, in the modern era they can tabulate votes fast enough to call the election that night. The practice of opening the polls before Nov 5 is called early voting. It’s basically that simple.
In my state, the local polling stations only open on Election Day, to vote early you have to go to a government building up at the county seat where they have one voting center open, so there is a practical difference.
<insert that video of the best captain in Star Trek trying to explain linear time to beings that don’t experience time here>
If you look at the meaning of the word “early” there are several senses.
- One sense is “At a time in advance of the usual or expected event.” e.g. if someone suffered an “early death.” Another sense of the word is “Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time.” e.g. “you arrived early today!” You’re right that in these two senses of the word, “early voting” sounds weird.
- But there’s another sense of the word early: “Near the start or beginning.” e.g. “Shakespeare’s early works”. There’s also “Near the start of the day.” as in “It’s too early for this sort of thing. I’m not awake yet.” Another sense is “Having begun to occur; in its early stages.” e.g. “an early cancer”. In these senses of the word, “early voting” sounds a lot better.
- For more info see: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/early
Surely some questions are stupid, right? Jk op your question made m laugh
