Souls to the Polls and Other Early Voting Options

The other day someone on Twitter asked my why we needed early voting. He wondered why folks just couldn't go vote on Election Day. He seemed sincere. Have you ever wondered how "Souls to the Polls" came about? Or why some places have early voting provisions? For many of us, it is a simple thing to get a few hours off work and drive ourselves to our polling place and vote on election day. If this is our situation, we tend to think everyone has same chance that we do. That's what privilege is all about.

Unfortunately, others may not have the same advantages that we do. Many don't have their own car and must rely on public transportation to get to and from work. This really complicates ones ability to get to work and to the polls and home again. 

Souls to the polls started as an effort in the Black Churches to get their people to the polls just before election day. It has been very successful. So successful that GOP legislatures and Secretary's of State have tried to eliminate or restrict it. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/30/upshot/data-from-sunday-points-to-black-churches-role-in-mobilizing-voters.html

Mail in absentee ballots and early voting at designated sites have also helped voters cast their ballots. My son is a teacher and drives 45 minutes to another town to work. This complicates voting. But his town had early voting and he voted at the country clerk's office last Sunday! Why not make it simpler for people to do their civic duty? 

I like to vote early and then volunteer to drive others on election day. In my area, that meant driving 20 miles to the county clerk's office between 8 AM and 4 PM to cast my ballot. This year however, I requested a mail-in ballot. They sent it right out, I filled it in and mailed it back the next day. I feel good that regardless of what might happen next Tuesday, my ballot is already there, waiting till the polls are closed to be counted with all the rest. This to me is the essence of Democracy. Citizens casting their ballots for their chosen candidates and issues is a sacred right and duty. Vote for Democrats who want everyone to vote.

Pat Taylor Fuller is an Editor for Progressive Democrats - Moving Forward, Not Back, and she has a blogspot named Pat's Commentary  http://pageposts1123.blogspot.com/