As in every election!
As we begin to look back on the accomplishments of the year, The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) noted the increase in legislation to expand early voting. The article is a fascinating comparison of states increasing access compared to a handful which made it harder.
Midwestern Voting Values
The Midwest has a long tradition of “no excuse” advance mail balloting. Is it a function of our chaotic weather? Or the historic tradition of agricultural schedules? The long distances between rural polling places?
We’ve long known the benefits, understood the privacy, and relied on the convenience. When the unthinkable happened in 2020, these states were ready. Obviously there was a significant uptick in the quantity of mailed ballots, but the processes were in place.
With the NCSL article in hand, we were curious to compare pre- and post-pandemic graphics on the subject.
- The Pew Research Center published these maps in 2016. They provide a fantastic image of the “before times”:
- This is the best map I’ve seen of the status of no-excuse advance voting in 2023 (and our little turnout-loving hearts go pitter-patter!):
There’s still a lot of room for improvement, especially in populous states like Texas and New York! Plus, in response to false claims of fraud, some states reduced voting access by eliminating or reducing dropbox options, limiting the number of days available to vote in-person advance, etc. So while they technically have a wide range of voting options, it isn’t always as easy as it seems in a basic graphic.
Pro-Tip: Vote early and campaigns take you off their marketing lists! When everyone eligible to vote in your house has voted, you’ll clean up your inbox, mailbox, message box, etc. Candidates don’t want to spend money on people who have already voted and those lists are culled every day.
Happy serving,