Early Voting

[Oorang]

Question for Floridian freepers. What has changed that allows people to vote, at the polls, prior to election day?

I understand absentee mail in ballots but I cannot find any information regarding the change (and why) to allow voting prior to election day at the polls.

Thanks.

[Oorang]

As a Floridian can you explain this to me?

[ExSoldier]

Well, I took advantage of it on this past Sunday. I can't exactly remember when early voting legislation was passed into law. But as I understand it, a certain number of early voting venues are designated according to the size and population of the county. These are usually public library facilities. The fifty foot rule for electioneering does not apply to early voting. IIRC sure you do have to vote in your home county but not your home precinct. It's touch screen voting with no paper trail. You approach the registrar and show your voter's registration card OR another Photo ID. They will go online and check the database to verify first your status and that you haven't already cast a vote. The actual voting machines are not hooked into a phone line, only the registrar's laptops. This past Sunday the ballot was 12 pages long and it took me about 15 minutes to complete, after a two and a half hour wait in line surrounded by RATS....and candidates urging my vote. Also RATS.

[Oorang]

Thanks ExS. I guess I'm just used to the old-fashioned way of doing things :-) All the changes this election cycle had me wondering. I'm still rather fond of they way our Founding Fathers set things up.

[dukeman]

In my Florida county the supervisor of elections has set up voting equipment at her two offices (a north office and a south office). Reports are business is brisk. I'm in W country, by the way. I myself have already voted by absentee ballot. I tried it for convenience during the primary and I've decided to use it all the time.

[Oorang]

Thanks for the feedback dukeman.