Early Vote in the United States

(Source: National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS))

This type of convenience voting allows voters to cast a ballot in person by visiting an election office or another designated location before Election Day (some participants characterized no-excuse absentee mail voting as their form of early voting).

A number of states (Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota and Rhode Island) noted that their early voting numbers in 2012 exceeded their 2008 totals. However, participants also pointed out that early voting did not appear to increase overall voter turnout in the 2012 general election. Instead, they said that it seemed to cause a shift in voter turnout patterns by allowing more ballots to be cast before Election Day.

Most participants concurred that the key benefits of early voting are providing a convenience option for voters and enabling local election administrators to mitigate some of the stresses of a busy Election Day, when the largest number of voters show up to vote. (…But ) voters may still experience longer wait times at the polls, suggesting that early voting is not a panacea for slow lines. (…)

Some findings:

• Some states that require an “excuse” to vote absentee are working to move to “no excuse” absentee voting (West Virginia, Connecticut and Minnesota).
• Connecticut is in the process of amending its state constitution to accomplish this goal.
• A Minnesota law (which took) effect in 2014 will allow all voters to vote absentee without an
  excuse (previous law required an excuse to vote absentee, both in person and by mail).
• South Dakota, a state with vote centers and electronic poll books, found these technologies to be highly useful in the effective implementation of early voting. (…)
• Nevada offered a unique option: Clark County implemented the use of three mobile early voting trailers that could move around to different locations with DRE equipment.
• Some states (Alaska, Maryland) have expanded – or are looking to expand – online ballot requests and blank ballot delivery. The goal is to make these options, which are currently utilized for military and overseas voters, available to all absentee voters