EVENTS

Date:	Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Time:	2:00 PM -- 3:30 PM
Location:	Wohlstetter Conference Center, Twelfth Floor, AEI 1150 Seventeenth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036

October 2004

Absentee Ballot Voting

The rise of absentee voting, especially no-excuse absentee voting, has many scholars debating whether or not such voting increases turnout, devalues the electoral process, and is ultimately good for American democracy. Some argue that the concept of going to the polls on Election Day is a time-honored tradition in this country, one that may be at risk as voters are more and more likely to simply mail in their ballots. Others see advances in absentee voting as a way to enhance the democratic experience for those otherwise limited by the logistics of voting in-person. At an October 19 AEI conference, AEI's John C. Fortier, along with Curtis Gans, director of the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, and Rebecca Vigil-Giron, president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, discussed the meteoric rise in absentee voting, the effects it has on the electoral process, and whether or not reform of the current system is needed .

John C. Fortier
AEI

There is a growing trend toward voting outside of the polling place, whether by voting absentee or simply voting before the election at a designated location. Absentee voting began during the Civil War as a provision for soldiers who were going to be away from home. The provision was put aside for a while, during which other electoral reforms such as the secret or Australian ballots were put into place. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the increasing mobility of Americans led to the need to again establish a way for people who were going to be absent on Election Day to vote. During the subsequent years, three types of voting practices have become prevalent: absentee voting, early voting, and voting by mail.

The argument for absentee or early voting is that it makes it easier for people to vote, providing voters with flexibility and choice. There are also cost advantages to the states, as well as the fact that in some areas it is very popular among citizens. Arguments against absentee voting include the increased possibility of fraud and increased possibilities of coercion and force to vote a certain way. Also, absentee voting lessens the significance of Election Day and bringing citizens together to vote.

The closeness of the current election has brought about a significant increase in political parties' efforts to encourage citizens to vote early through absentee and other voting efforts. Different candidates have started distributing recorded phone messages in battleground states warning about the risk of forgetting, being sick, or being out of town, which would inhibit someone from voting on Election Day.

Rebecca Vigil-Giron
National Association of Secretaries of State

Thirty-one states allow no-excuse early or absentee voting, meaning that any registered voter may cast a ballot before Election Day without providing a reason. Almost thirty states allow voters to cast early ballots in person. Twenty-one states allow early voting by mail, and some states have expanded these practices as recently as the 2002 election.
 
Proponents of early voting say it gives voters a chance to avoid lines and hassles on Election Day. It can also allow them to resolve any last-minute registration problems and still be able to vote with a standard ballot. Many younger voters and parents with tight schedules have embraced absentee and early voting because it provides a more convenient way to exercise their democratic right. It also gives an opportunity for citizens living in rural areas to vote without placing an undue burden on them. Although some opponents of absentee voting point to the increased chances of voting fraud, many states have protections in place to reduce the possibilities. For example, states can verify the signatures on absentee ballots with that of the registration card to ensure ballot legitimacy. Also, states are currently adapting new technologies and coordinating governmental agencies to guard against voter fraud. New Mexico is proving a model example for this and is currently helping states to adopt some of the same policies.

Other arguments against early and absentee voting revolve around the sense of community that voters feel when they go to the polls. This argument is outweighed, however, by the thought that a more powerful sense of community comes by actually voting, not by simply going to the polls. Early voting allows voters to experience this without the inconveniences of having to vote at a certain location. Additionally, voter turnout is not affected by changes in procedure. Rather, higher turnouts can be increased by education about the logistics of voting.
 
Regardless of one's opinion regarding absentee and early voting, it looks like these practices are here to stay.
 
Curtis Gans
Committee for the Study of the American Electorate
 
Early and no-excuse absentee voting practices are wrong for several reasons: First, it hurts voter turnout. Studies have shown that states who have no-excuse absentee voting have performed worse in turnout every year since 1992; states with early voting provisions have similar results, with the exception of 2002. The mail-only vote system in Oregon also has had lower voter turnout than in comparative states.

Second, provisions that allow votes up to forty days before the election creates the possibility that all voters will not be voting with the same information. For instance, significant events (a terrorist attack or a stock market crash, for example) could happen days prior to the election, and millions of absentee ballots will have already been cast.

Third, with regard to no-excuse absentee voting, there are potential sources of distortion. For instance, ballots could be collected and turned in by people with ill intent. Also, increased pressures from interest groups and other organizations could undermine a person's vote, and these pressures could easily be withstood when voting occurs in secret at a booth.

Fourth, voting on Election Day provides citizens with an opportunity to come together and participate in democracy. In essence Election Day provides Americans with a sense of community that is almost non-existent at any other time. States should adopt laws that mandate that polling places be within a certain distance from every voter to lessen the burden placed upon rural voters.
 
Data shows that no-excuse absentee provisions do not encourage new people to vote. Instead, most people who take advantage of absentee voting are those who were going to vote anyway but who simply find it convenient not to go to the polling place. Essentially, this convenience is outweighed by the possible problems that exist when votes are cast outside of the designated location.

AEI research assistant Christopher Trendler prepared this summary.