[John.Galt2012]

I'm not saying we shouldn't have absentee votes (i.e. sailors at sea or deployed servicemen), that's a good thing and valid. And helping the legitimately disabled or elderly vote is a good thing as well. However, I have had discussions with some "shady characters" (that's all I can say about it) and was told that is why the Republicans 48 hour push has been so effective in the past. Those who would stuff ballot boxes, find lost ballot boxes or bring in bus loads of illegitimate voters don't know how many bus loads or ballot boxes to bring in without pushing the edge of reality, i.e. more votes than actual population. By sampling the early votes, they get a rough estimate of how many votes to “create”.

[deport]

Early voting in Texas in the top 15 counties only garners about 35% of the total vote if I remember data from past elections correctly. As I said they use the same equipment, use the same voter rolls, same poll workers, etc that are used on election day.

Now some groups have a large push and make it an activity for the day. Example some church groups have a special effort, church activities-dinner, etc on a Sunday after church services, then caravan to the polls. Others will go to nursing homes and provide transportation to those ambulatory so they can go vote. Nothing wrong with that as long as they are registered voters. If the poll workers are letting them vote and they aren't on the voter rolls then that is another issue and needs to be addressed. But I'm checked just as if I would be checked on election day at the normal precinct I'd be voting at.

To each his/her own. I don't have a problem with it and it is more convenient.