Somewhere around a million Arizonans will vote this year by mail or in person at early polling booths before the dates of the primary and the general election. I won’t be one of them.
   When I moved to Arizona in 1999, I was excited about the concept of early voting. I requested a ballot as soon as possible, studied it closely so I knew which candidates and issues I would vote on, and then held on to the ballot for a couple of weeks. I kept my eyes and ears open for information that could influence my vote, especially on more obscure races.
   But after a couple of election cycles, I came to miss the Election Day ritual of finding my designated polling place, checking in with the poll workers and then marking my ballot at the same time as hundreds or thousands of other people. I also was a little nervous about mailing my ballot and then learning something about a candidate or issue that changed my mind too late to change my vote.
   I tried twice to compromise by requesting an early ballot but waiting to fill it out until Election Day and then dropping it off at my polling place. At least I didn’t have to wait in any lines during the presidential election in 2004.
   It was during that election I discovered the Maricopa County elections office doesn’t count early voting ballots delivered on Election Day until later. It was disappointing to learn my vote wasn’t included in the election night totals.
   So I lost my motivation to get my early ballot done, and in 2006 I requested early ballots but then showed up at the polling place to vote in person instead. My ballot was cast provisionally so the elections office could verify I wasn’t trying to vote twice. I assumed my ballots were eventually tabulated, but I still didn’t feel like they counted like they do when I vote in person on Election Day.
   The November 2006 general election also happened to include a statewide initiative requiring all voters to automatically receive an early voting ballot, and essentially eliminate in-person voting on Election Day. I considered the ballot measure an unnecessary attack on a core element of our democracy that I have come to really cherish. Fortunately, Arizona voters rejected the initiative.
   But I’m guessing the idea will come back, as its supporters are convinced it would boost turnout and save money. I suspect the new permanent early ballot mailing list could serve as a step in that direction.
   I favor the current system of letting any voter who wants to cast a ballot early to do so, but we shouldn’t try to pinch pennies by wiping out Election Day traditions.
  So I’m not voting early anymore. And on Sept. 2 and again on Nov. 4, I will proudly display my “I voted today!” sticker.

Posted in: Election issues • Maricopa County |

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