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Early Voting – Ten Data Points

Posted on Monday, September 30, 2024
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by AMAC, Robert B. Charles
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72 Comments
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people lined up for early voting

Early voting, made popular in 2020, may be decisive in 2024. Why? Many who say they will vote do not vote, many never intend to, and those voting early – often with friends – tip the balance. Ten questions – and answers – about “early voting” are worth knowing.

First, what percentage of voters – in either party – consistently vote? Surprisingly few. A third. Only 37 percent voted in 2018, 2020 and 2022 (Pew Research).

What does that mean? It means consistency is abnormal. Many vote “when the spirit moves them,” when it is convenient when urged by a neighbor – or taken by a neighbor. Otherwise, they do not.

Added data. Fully 30 percent of those of voting age did not vote in any of those three elections, 2018, 2020, and 2022. Without cycle analysis, if a modest number of those who did not vote had voted, the last dozen cycles could easily have been different. Think about that, state and federal.

Second, while 76 percent of American voters – in both major parties – favor “early voting,” at least two weeks prior to election day, Democrats more often vote early.  Meaning? When weather, convenience, family, or work issues interfere with election day voting, Democrats profit.

Third, in an era when only 65 percent of Democrats, versus 95 percent of Republicans, favor mandatory proof of citizenship on election day – and some politicians, like Mr. Walz of Minnesota, gave non-citizens driver’s licenses for use at the polls, election day is fraught.  The balance tips to those who think ahead, vote early, insist on voting early, and then get others to.

Fourth, almost twice the number of Democrats (76 percent) as Republicans (39 percent) want walk-in registration on election day – not to mention hard-to-monitor practices like ballot harvesting and drop boxes. Meaning? Guaranteed votes, ones cast early, are now vitally important.

Fifth,  a majority of Republicans favor “banning groups from collecting completed ballots from a large number of voters,” while a majority of Democrats favor the reverse. What does that mean?  The chances in some states for fraud are high; early voting helps combat that.

Sixth, early voting helps compensate for weak oversight on election day, when – for example – 60 percent of Republicans favor removing those who have not recently voted or cannot confirm registration from rolls, while Democrats shrug at such lapses (only 27 percent care).

Seventh, Democrats lead the way in early voting, with a stunning surge between 2018 and 2022. As the New York Times reported, America saw a 70 percent turnout increase for in-person “early voting” in 2022, up everywhere, numbers through the roof. If Republicans aim to win, they will need to convince the faithful to “vote early,” and to bring others to the polls, as Democrats do.

Eighth, the number “voting early” continues to climb, with 41 percent voting early in 2022, compared to 34 percent in 2018. Notably, 40 percent voted early in 2016, which suggests that Republicans – who overwhelmingly won in 2016 – CAN vote early when motivated.

Ninth, those in Western US states vote earlier than in the East, so East Coast Republicans should start to vote early, ensure their votes are counted, and get others to the polls early if they hope to win.

Tenth, and finally, the time is now upon us. When all is said and done, early voting is critical, as it tends to tip the balance in modern politics. Illinois, Minnesota, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Virginia start “early voting” in September, and more than 40 states begin in October.

In the old days, which were not long ago, people went to the polls on election day. That was fine. In the old days, not to put too fine a point on it, Americans were patriotic, honest, believed in the Bill of Rights, and none were Marxist. Today, Truman and JFK would be Republican – and would vote early. If it ever mattered, it matters this year. Voting early, in-person or other, may make all the difference this year.

ALL STATES’ EARLY VOTING DATES

Robert Charles is a former Assistant Secretary of State under Colin Powell, former Reagan and Bush 41 White House staffer, attorney, and naval intelligence officer (USNR). He wrote “Narcotics and Terrorism” (2003), “Eagles and Evergreens” (2018), and is National Spokesman for AMAC.

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Dan W.
Dan W.
1 month ago

Agree 100%. No one needs to wait until Election Day to cast their ballot.

And I hope all of the talk about the Dems cheating and ‘stolen elections’ doesn’t play right into the Dems hands by discouraging our voters from voting.

Jimmy P
Jimmy P
1 month ago

DO NOT WAIT UNTIL ELECTION DAY TO CAST YOUR BALLOT!!! Take it from this Maricopa County voter. This time around, we have to vote early. We can expect on Election Day more cyber-attacks, blank ballot printers running out of ink, broken printers, water main breaks, connectivity issues, wrong size ballot stock, etc. The left never sleeps and works 24/7 to undermine election integrity. VOTE EARLY, our nation depends on YOU!!!!!

Rik
Rik
1 month ago

You CAN’T Complain if You DON’T exercise your right to vote!

Rhonda
Rhonda
1 month ago

I agree with voting early, I always have. But the Dimms will use the knowledge of how many Republican votes have been cast, as they did in 2020, to figure out how many votes they need to overcome and win the election. I hope the Republicans have their lawsuits ready. You know the Dimms are going to cheat.

Max
Max
1 month ago

Don’t say “I am going to vote–DO IT”. As RBC’s article states– Go and vote early so you don’t forget.

JonBoy
JonBoy
1 month ago

Saw a USPS truck in our local cemetery, guess they were delivering mail in vote envelopes

RJ
RJ
1 month ago

We always vote early and make sure we drop off our own ballots in the proper drop box for them. Let’s get PRESIDENT TRUMP back in the Whitehouse where he should have been the last almost 3.5 years.

Robert
Robert
1 month ago

Agreed! Too much can go wrong at a voting location on election day and that has traditionally harmed the Republicans the most. If Election Day were a legal holiday more of the working class might show up before the voting stops but as it is we need earlier voting!

Thinking
Thinking
2 days ago
  • I say let’s go back to voting on Election Day. Have the results tabulated the same night. Published by precincts in the paper. None of that is happening now. It’s a free for all and all of a sudden numbers appear statewide. If listed precinct by precinct fraud would be avoided. But ever since O was in power the regimes in power do what they want. Under Trump we had leadership. Peace all over the world. We felt save. We talked to one another. Now they are rewriting history under the guise they found out more facts of what happened centuries ago. Show me the eye witness who can testify to these new facts. Rewriting history is nothing more than brainwashing people to their viewpoint. History is history and cannot be rewritten. Voting on voting day. Showing ID’s. Only citizens allowed to vote. Not making these invaders citizens by amnesty. Legal migrants follow the laws in place to earn that citizenship. The dems think the invasion of 20-25 million people is no big deal. But they have no more right to special treatment than those that come here legally and it does affect every town and rural areas in America. We have become a country of do what feels good. Don’t fix anything like the port strikes. We can’t do anything because that would hurt the strikers. Just do what feels good especially when we have disasters everywhere from Hurricane Helene to the invasion at the border. We are a week after the disaster and we are bringing supplies in by mules and horseback. Ever hear of helicopters, drones? Just like Maui let it burn. Developers wanted the land for cheap. Whole towns are destroyed fro infrastructure to homes and businesses. And ole Joe is on the beach and Kameltoe is hobnobbing with her money elites on the West Coast. All this to distract from the upcoming election because Trump is winning. Vote and let’s get America back before we are a nation under Chinese laws.
Greg Brown
Greg Brown
1 month ago

While I tend to support voting only on Election Day, the points made in this article are eye-opening. I am now leaning toward early voting this year.

Mary
Mary
2 days ago

The one statement that seemed odd to me was the one about 37% of voters voted in 2018, 2020 and 2022…yet there supposedly were over 140 million votes cast in 2020. That has to be more than 37%. Can anyone explain,please?

Stephen Russell
Stephen Russell
2 days ago

VOTE NOW GOP MAGA

Misty
Misty
2 days ago

Haven’t voted early in 20 years but DEFINITELY voting in person once early voting starts here on October 26. Getting Trump back in the White House will be the ultimate birthday present for me.

Marie
Marie
2 days ago

It is clear, that Democrats love ballot harvesting, mail-in ballots and many days of voting because it offers lots of room for cheating, not to mention how they hate voter ID. If this is not corrected, we will see the demise of America when Foundations like Soros’ steps in and control the outcome of our elections. So sad for USA.

Sharon
Sharon
2 days ago

Keep up this drum beat until the election! Hopefully, people take heed and VOTE EARLY!

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
2 days ago

Anyone registered to vote but doesn’t deserves what they end up with… that goes for either party! If You’re choice is to not vote, don’t complain! And for you “independent voters” sticking to the Libertarian ticket, I have to hold my nose sometimes when I vote (like McCain, Romney, Amodei) can’t you? Too “principled”? Your principles won’t save you from a Harris Presidency… so when you proudly proclaim “I voted for neither” enjoy the cost of living and loss of freedoms doing it!

Philip Seth Hammersley
Philip Seth Hammersley
2 days ago

Summarized in two sentences- Democrats love to CHEAT. Republicans love to VOTE.

Bruce
Bruce
4 days ago

The ninth reason says “ ensure their votes were counted “ but does not state how to do this. Is there a federally mandated process to do this?

Robert Zuccaro
Robert Zuccaro
1 month ago

Wouldn’t surprise me if they’re not already handing out early voting ballots for 2028… can never be “too early” to vote Democrat, right?

Michael J
Michael J
1 month ago

Vote early and often, will lightning strike twice?

Sue Marshall
Sue Marshall
2 days ago

I am a poll worker in Maricopa County AZ. We open for voting 10/9/2024. Anyone can vote early. Given the mess we had on voting day several times in the past, I encourage all voters to take advantage of Early Voting. The chain of custody for ballots cast early is very tight in our jurisdiction, so one can feel confident their vote will be counted. There is even ballot tracking available to voters so they can see when their ballot was received, validated and counted. VOTE EARLY!!!

Commentary
Commentary
2 days ago

I have never seen the need for early voting, especially more than 2 weeks early. Some states allow more than 6 weeks early! Why? I believe in strict voting law so that the CITIZENS’ privilege is not so abused.Absentee ballots should be only for military, expats and those who are too ill to come to the polls.I am convinced the Democrats thrive on fraud and therefore increase the ways in which it can be committed.

Steve Greenwell
Steve Greenwell
2 days ago

After Joshua and Caleb returned from Canaan with ten others and all gave their reports, Those who feared going into Canaan to take possession were in the majority. All of Israel never lived to enter Canaan, except Joshua and Caleb. These two did enter the promised land, with a smaller number of the sons of the rebels: forty years later.
Any catechesis that the election will be stolen accomplishes only the following: it motivates those who oppose the status quo of the past four years to despair and not vote, and plays into the hands of the left. Those who oppose the status quo must vote, whether by mail or by showing up at the polls. We may lose anyway, but loss is certain if we don’t vote. And we may not get let off easy, with klutzing about in the wilderness for 40 years.

Carol
Carol
2 days ago

The early voting for Georgia starts Tuesday Oct. 15 not Thursday Oct. 15!

Jerry
Jerry
1 day ago

Does anyone have an estimate for the number of ILLEGAL ALIENS who will vote for the DemonRats?

Larry
Larry
1 day ago

I have never, ever in my 50 years of voting voted Early. All it does is give the crooked Democrats and RINOS the number of votes they have to “dig up” for the two weeks after Election Day. Ask Kerri Lake. There is no reason for the relatively small populated State of Arizona to require two weeks to count votes when huge States like Florida and Texas have votes counted by 10:00 PM on Election Day.

Joanne4 justic
Joanne4 justic
2 days ago

My issue is ARE WE PERMITT3D TO VOTE??? appears that illEGAL persons have HAVE MORE RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES THAN GENERIC AMERICANS?????

Billy
Billy
4 hours ago

They got away with stealing the last election, and no one paid any consequences; so I’ll vote early; but what’s going to stop them from doing it again?

Joanne4 justic
Joanne4 justic
1 day ago

The outstanding issue is the DEM Dictator party will use any and all vices ie. Early voting/ losing mail in votes / manipulating vote counting at local Town city state levels/ abetting ilegsls to vote Etc. Etc to continue their goal of total ONE PARTY Dictatorship .CONTROL OF POWER AND THE TOTAL FINANCIAL COMNERCIAL ECONMIC GOVERNMENT LAW ENFORCEMENT CONGRESSIONAL CONTROL THEY HAVE CREATED these past 3 YEARS. America NEEDS AND DESERVES REFORMED GOVERNMENT!!!!!

Roger Slaalien sr
Roger Slaalien sr
1 day ago

Vote with your wallet. This nightmare must end!

Momo
Momo
2 days ago

Trumps doing so well he has to buy polls to make him looks good. Like everyone with no friends lol

Governor Tim Walz giving a speech at a Podium in September 2024
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