Since I'm reading in comment threads about people who are already casting absentee ballots or Internet ballots in primaries, I thought I might share my strong dislike for Internet voting, voting by mail, unlimited absentee ballots (such as we have here in CA), and other methods of voting other than in a polling booth on Election Day.
First, regarding absentee ballots, absentee ballots are fine if you REALLY can't make it to the polls, like if you're working an 18-hour shift in an emergency room or you're away at sea in a submarine (as I was in 1998). Otherwise...
- Why is voting seen as such a burden and task in this country? One of the big arguments I see for Internet voting is that it's "easier", or it's "more convenient". All our democracy asks of us is that once every two years we drag our lazy butts to the community center and cast a ballot, but that seems to be too much trouble. I see electronic voting or voting by mail justified by saying it will get more people to vote, but I'm not sure if attracting people who aren't motivated enough to drag themselves away from "General Hospital" to go the polls is a good thing.
- Elections, by their very nature, are supposed to be a poll of the will of the public AT ONE TIME. Not some kind of rolling event where a few people vote months ahead of time, a few more people vote days ahead of time, another chunk of people vote the day before and the leftovers vote on the day we're actually supposed to have the election.
- Fraud. This, of course, applies to our general concerns with touch-screen voting and electronic voting less than it specifically does to voting from home or voting ahead of time.
- Candidates die or drop out precipitously, as we know all too well from 2002 and the death of Sen. Wellstone. People who voted for Wellstone in advance saw their votes wasted.