Early Voting Starts Tuesday?

• Author: Ben Keeler
• Filed under: Ohio 2008
• Date: Sep 29,2008

Well, no question mark needed. It does.

Story: For the first time in a presidential election, registered voters across Ohio can cast ballots early — beginning Tuesday — without giving any of the reasons required in the past. All you need to do is mail in an absentee ballot or show up in person to vote at your county Board of Elections or another site chosen by the board.

Isn't it a little early to be casting your ballot? I consider myself a fairly informed voter, but there are some races I haven't given a second of consideration to yet. Have most voters really looked at most of the down ticket races or the numerous state ballot initiatives that are getting overshadowed by the presidential race?

Candidates are still working hard knocking on doors and meeting voters at various events. What if someone makes a great impression on you in person, but you already decided to cast your ballot? A couple of weeks ago my friend (staunch Republican) got a knock on his door from a Democrat running for Ohio House in the Columbus area, John Patrick Carney. Carney noticed he was wearing an LA Dodgers shirt and they started talking baseball after his standard political spiel - the whole thing lasted around 15 minutes. He was impressed Carney took so much time to talk to him. A few days later, said friend got a personal letter from Carney that was signed "Go Dodgers." My friend said he will vote for Carney just based on that, even though he is voting Republican on the rest of his ballot (someone doing the same to me about the Phillies might work). That is just one example - and Carney's visit would have been all for nothing if he had gone knocking at my friend's apartment later this week and he had already taken advantage of the new early voting and went to his local election board on Tuesday. What if you vote early for Obama and something really bad comes out about him? What if you vote early for McCain and then he says something in the third debate that makes you reconsider? Too bad. Same could be said for local races. Meeting a candidate in person between Tuesday and Election Day is not far-fetched and the personal touch could sway you (and not necessarily in a positive way). So much can happen in a few weeks to alter perceptions.

Look, I am not against people being able to vote early if they need to for whatever reason. No one should be denied because they have to work all day or if their schedule doesn't permit it. Some flexibility is certainly needed. But this seems a little early - and it strikes me as irresponsible to vote a full month before the actual election. Once your vote is cast, it is locked in. I hate voting early / absentee. Had to do it in 2004 and I felt like I wasn't part of the election and I wasn't doing my part. Some people see this new voting system as great news. I don't view it as good for the process.