When should a person vote? With early and absentee voting soon to begin for the 2024 general election, faith-based voters are asking themselves, “Is it OK to vote early?”
iVoterGuide sorted through all the reasons for and against early voting and concluded: Casting a legal vote at any time is better than taking a chance that one might not be able to cast a vote at all.
Why to vote early
For example, in 2020, an iVoterGuide staff member, who could not be persuaded to vote any other time than on Election Day, was diagnosed with cancer. During her cancer treatment, her widowed elderly father fell. She and her husband became primary caregivers for him, on top of fighting her cancer battle. She admitted that she missed voting in two local elections … because of personal health and family obligations.
Another staff member explained how the chaos and excitement of Election Day voting is now too overwhelming for one of her family members who has a sensory disorder.
In addition to medical issues, work schedules can also interfere with a person’s ability to vote. Some people’s work schedules do not allow them to take time off work to go to the polls. (Think about first responders, health care workers, and many others who don’t have nine-to-five jobs.)
In fact, one county official told iVoterGuide that nearly one-third of campaign staff and candidate families don’t even vote because there isn’t enough time to do everything on Election Day.
These scenarios do not even take into account the potential for bad weather, power outages, flat tires, dead batteries, or just making sure there is adequate time to get to the correct polling place at the right time with the right identification.
While voting early does allow for unexpected situations, it can also free up an individual to serve as an election worker or poll watcher at a high-risk polling place.
However, though it can be beneficial for some, voting early is not for everyone.
Why not to vote early
There are many people who enjoy taking part in the process of Election Day by voting in person. iVoterGuide believes those who can do so, absolutely should!
iVoterGuide’s premise also applies to those who have not had a chance to become educated about the candidates; they should wait to cast their votes until they can gather as much information as possible.
iVoterGuide strives to get voter guides ready at least two weeks before early voting, but if information is not yet available, voters should wait to be informed voters. That’s why it’s important to have a plan.
Why to plan accordingly
No person wants to be the one who forgot about Election Day. Look at the calendar now. Determine whether Election Day voting is feasible. If it is not, then plan to vote early. There are links to find the early voting days and locations on iVoterGuide.com. Obstacles, no matter how big or small, should never get in the way of an American performing his or her patriotic duty to vote.
(Digital Editor's Note: This article was published first in the October 2024 print edition of The Stand. Click HERE for a free six-month subscription. It was written by Debbie Wuthnow, iVoterGuide president.)
