Why Early Voting Can Help Democrats

Why Early Voting Can Help Democrats

First, in Republican dominated states or counties, polling booths are apportioned predjudicedly against poor, urban, segregated districts. There are so few polling places in these districts that voters have to stand in lines for hours, and, of course, many give up or don’t even try. Since early voting has started, the more urban voters that Democrats can get out early means the easier it will be for other Democrats to vote on Election Day or close to it.

Second, Democrats have a ground game, where Trump does not, other than that of the RNC. Early voting lets the Democrats know where they have to concentrate motivational ads, mailers, phone calls, canvassing, and rides to the polls. For Florida, for example, you can get daily County updates of how many Vote-by-Mail ballots have been voted for Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Others. Right now, the number of Voted Vote-by-Mail is about equal between Republicans and Democrats.  In North Carolina, they give out a daily list of all registered voters, and whether they have voted yet.  18% have already voted there, and Clinton leads by 22% in that vote, while only being favored in the state by 6%.

Third, a large early Democratic turnout could convince some Republicans reluctant to vote for Trump that they can stay home with a good conscience, because the result is already determined. Typically, if someone does not want to face a difficult decision, they put it off. A slow Republican start could also indicate to many Republicans that many other Republicans are reluctant to vote for Trump.

It seems that most voters have now made up their minds, so no further October surprises in the last two weeks are going to have much impact, and there are no further debates. So voters don’t really have much reason not to vote early. It does take time to decide on local candidates, if they are not listed by party affiliation.

If there are some leaning Republican states that Democrats think they might take, as well as win a Senatorial race in, early voting can show them if they really have a chance, compared to Republican early voting.

We see that there are many advantages to have Democrats vote early, and if I read of more, I will add them to this article.

About Dennis SILVERMAN

I am a retired Professor of Physics and Astronomy at U C Irvine. For two decades I have been active in learning about energy and the environment, and in reporting on those topics for a decade. For the last four years I have added science policy. Lately, I have been reporting on the Covid-19 pandemic of our times.
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