Changing Perspective

Election Day in the US will see millions of people around the country line up at polling stations ready to cast their vote. Unlike Sri Lanka, something I have noticed in the US is that the number of polling stations are far fewer and casting the vote itself would also take up to ten minutes. This means that people are left standing in line for hours. So the US election authorities have made it easier by making use of “early voting”.

Early voting is very simply an opportunity for voters to turn up before election day and cast their vote either in person or via mail.

Each State in the US has a separate time period for early voting which is determined by the state authorities. It can run from anywhere between a week to ten days. This election has seen an unprecedented prediction of over 46 million people casting their votes early.

The idea behind early voting is to ensure that on election day everybody can cast their vote before the polling stations close.

However, despite the opportunity to vote early the majority of the country still choose to come out on November 6.

Visiting the polling station at Elmhurst School in West Toledo, I was greeted with the sight of long voter lines. Speaking to the people I learnt that they had been in line for over two hours. Jessica Litzch said she had been in line for almost two hours and was tempted to leave and try again later.

“I never got down to voting early simply because I never had time with work. My boss said I can take time off to vote today which is why I am here”, she explained. Litzch added that she has to go back to work and will not wait to vote now but would try again in the evening.

Frank Bedford left the polling station complaining that he had been standing in line for 2 hours and could not afford to spend anymore time there. “I run my own business and cannot afford to keep it closed for too long”, he said.

Bedford added that it was unlikely he would come back and vote since he does not leave his shop until 7pm. He admitted that not making use of the early voting was a mistake.

Judging by the news from elsewhere in the county the lines seem to be even longer. One report suggests that in Florida voters are having to stand in line for almost 3 hours. Despite these time constraints the voters are, by and large, choosing to stand in line.

Of course a surprising aspect is that traditionally voter turnout in the US is not high. An interesting development considering all the assistance voters are given.

Democrats have complained that their voter bases are lazy and do not often turnout in full force on election day. Early voting would no doubt assist the Democrats.