I had to wait until I was 21 to vote for the first time. That was in 1968. As I recall, back then, you had to be able to show proof that you couldn't vote in person, in order to cast an absentee ballot. My father was an immigrant to this country as a little boy from Holland in 1912, and was proud to be a citizen of this country. He impressed upon us the importance of going to the polls in person to vote every year. He was an FDR Democrat. If he was alive today, he wouldn't recognize the party, and sure as hell wouldn't be a Democrat.
We need to get back to that. You should have to show you would be out of town or that you are too infirm to show up at the poll.
We also need several more election integrity laws like those in Florida:
- voter ID
- each precinct must report at the end of each day how many ballots it has received (ie no “finding” ballots after the polls close)
- strict deadline that all ballots MUST be received by election day. If you can’t get your ballot in by then TOUGH CRAP - Your ballot doesn’t count.
Correct: “You had to have proof, presented in person, that you were going to be out of town and couldn’t vote during normal voting hours. They knew in those days that integrity of elections was paramount.”
Same; and in the state where I resided back then:
Done at the county’s Board of Elections Office, and while still there, when the application was approved, you voted at one of the booths (usually 16 - 20 were set up).