Early voting

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Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that do not permit no-excuse early voting may still permit some citizens to vote early, provided they prove that they have valid reasons for doing so. This practice is known as in-person absentee voting.

HIGHLIGHTS

As of January 30, 2018, 34 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting. Another three states utilized all-mail voting systems, eliminating the need for early voting. For a full list of these states, see here.

Proponents argue that early voting opportunities make the voting process more convenient for citizens, thereby increasing turnout and diversifying the electorate.

Critics argue that citizens who vote early may be more likely to make ill-informed decisions.

Early voting by state

As of January 30, 2018, the following 34 states (plus the District of Columbia) permitted no-excuse early voting in some form:

• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• District of Columbia
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Minnesota
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

States with all-mail voting

As of January 30, 2018, the remaining three states (Colorado, Oregon, and Washington) used all-mail voting systems, thereby eliminating the need for early voting.

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Arguments

Proponents argue that early voting opportunities make the voting process more convenient for citizens, thereby increasing turnout and diversifying the electorate. Demos, a self-identified progressive think tank, wrote the following in support of early voting:

“	[Usage] of early voting has recently surged among traditionally underrepresented voters. The 2008 election marked a dramatic increase in early in-person voting among African American and Latino voters. And in Florida, where approximately 50% of ballots were cast early in 2012, African-American usage of early in-person voting has exceeded White usage in four of the five most recent federal elections.	”
—Demos

Critics argue that citizens who vote early may be more likely to make ill-informed decisions. Northwestern University law professors Eugene Kontorovich and John McGinnis wrote the following against early voting in Politico:

“	For all its conveniences, early voting threatens the basic nature of citizen choice in democratic, republican government. In elections, candidates make competing appeals to the people and provide them with the information necessary to be able to make a choice. ... Especially in an age of so many nonpolitical distractions, it is important to preserve the space of a general election campaign — from the early kickoff rallies to the last debates in October — to allow voters to think through, together, the serious issues that face the nation.	”
—Eugene Kontorovich and John McGinnis

See also

• Elections and events calendar
• Absentee voting

External links

Additional reading

• National Conference of State Legislatures, "Absentee and Early Voting," October 21, 2014
• The Washington Post, "Political ignorance and early voting," February 11, 2014
• The Washington Times, "ADAMS: Eight reasons for halting early voting" February 5, 2014
• Brennan Center for Justice, "Early Voting: What Works," October 31, 2013