Normally I can’t wait until election day to enjoy my voting ritual — heading to my polling place to be there when the doors open, chatting with the poll workers, casting my ballot, and exiting proudly wearing an “I voted” sticker. But, for the first time I’m tempted to forgo that satisfying routine to cast my ballot right now on this first day of early voting. I figure voting early might offer me an inoculation from the poisonous stings of in-my-face bad political news. Early voting also may give me a much-needed feeling of actually doing something instead of standing still watching the growing foothold of the anti-small “d” democratic forces. Not to put too fine a point on it.
I know the jury is still out about whether early voting gets more voters to the polls, but I’ve got to believe that more opportunity begets more participation. What’s more, I think early voting may turn out to be an effective tool against some forms of voter suppression. Harder to block access completely if there are multiple chances to vote with more flexible hours like on the weekend.
Around here, early voting is not yet a habit. So, election officials have tried a number of ways to announce the deadlines and dates of the early voting period which starts today, Monday, and ends on Friday, November 2. A few weeks ago, in my town, sandwich boards with detailed information about locations and hours appeared on several street corners. I actually saw those sandwich boards in many other cities as I traveled around Massachusetts. And last month the City of Boston unveiled a Vote Early Boston website targeting voters deterred by traditional election day hours, or polling locations not conveniently located near their work or homes.
I continue to be frustrated about the enormous communal effort it takes to persuade some registered voters to vote. I’m a super voter so all elections are important to me — whether it’s for the presidency or the local school board. I know that makes me a unicorn in most circles. Shockingly, even among groups where would-be voters are otherwise active in civic engagement. But the hard truth is that it takes a lot, and then some, to get some Americans to the polls. I’m watching to see if pop singer Taylor Swift’s recent plunge into politics will get her millions of fans in the voting booth or simply more followers on social media. Voter.org says Swift helped motivate 65,000 mostly young fans to register. I’m hoping they’re in states where they can vote early while they are in the glow of their new-found enthusiasm. But, it might not make a difference. Despite highly energized Republican and Democratic bases going into the upcoming midterm elections, the analysts predict the percentage of voters will still end up being about 20 percent of all registered voters. That’s simply embarrassing.
For me, it’s never a question of not voting, but whether I should join the 22 percent of Massachusetts voters who did vote early in 2016, the last time the option was offered. Every city and town will offer early voting which comes with additional costs for the extra polling hours and special processing of both in person and mail-in ballots. We taxpayers are picking up the tab. We can’t afford to be casual or indifferent about our civic budget.
