Changes

Early voting can result in the intimidation of people into voting, who might not otherwise vote.  In the U.S. Senate race in Nevada in 2010, buses took casino workers to polling booths during the early voting period, and those workers may have felt that they must vote, and must vote Democratic.  Early voting by mail, meanwhile, is vulnerable to party workers or union bosses improperly filling out ballots for other people, and then mailing them in to be counted.

Early voting can result in the intimidation of people into voting, who might not otherwise vote.  In the U.S. Senate race in Nevada in 2010, buses took casino workers to polling booths during the early voting period, and those workers may have felt that they must vote, and must vote Democratic.  Early voting by mail, meanwhile, is vulnerable to party workers or union bosses improperly filling out ballots for other people, and then mailing them in to be counted.

In the mid-term elections in 2010, 25% of the voters in Ohio voted early -- days or weeks prior to election day, either by mail or by showing up at special polling booths.  Justifiably concerned by this trend, the Ohio legislature then passed a law to prohibit early voting during the weekend just prior to the election.  (There was an exception allowing military and overseas voters to cast their ballots in-person during this time.)  But Democrats, realizing how they can use early voting to their advantage by rounding up people and taking them to the polling booths over a period of many days, including the weekend before the election, sued in federal court to have the law invalidated.  The lawsuit succeeded:  the federal court invalidated the Ohio law, and the decision was affirmed on appeal.  The U.S. Supreme Court then declined the petition for it to review the issue.  As a result, expansive early voting in Ohio, during which as many as 50% of Ohio's voters will cast ballots this election, is still in effect.<ref>For details about the legislative history that led to the changes in early voting law in Ohio that were struck down, see [http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=3479941109974499934].</ref>

In the mid-term elections in 2010, 25% of the voters in Ohio voted early -- days or weeks prior to election day, either by mail or by showing up at special polling booths.  Justifiably concerned by this trend, the Ohio legislature then passed a law to prohibit early voting during the weekend just prior to the election.  (There was an exception allowing military and overseas voters to cast their ballots in-person during this time.)  But Democrats, realizing how they can use early voting to their advantage by rounding up people and taking them to the polling booths over a period of many days, including the weekend before the election, sued in federal court to have the law invalidated.  The lawsuit succeeded:  the federal court invalidated the Ohio law, and the decision was affirmed on appeal.  The U.S. Supreme Court then declined the petition for it to review the issue.  As a result, expansive early voting in Ohio, during which as many as 50% of Ohio's voters will cast ballots this election, is still in effect.<ref>For details about the legislative history that led to the changes in early voting law in Ohio that were struck down, see http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=3479941109974499934.</ref>

It is already possible to see which side is ahead in the early voting in the swing states, by looking at who has cast ballots.  It is not possible to see the ballots themselves, because they will not be opened and counted until Election Day.  But it is reported how many registered voters cast ballots, and which political party those registered voters are in.

It is already possible to see which side is ahead in the early voting in the swing states, by looking at who has cast ballots.  It is not possible to see the ballots themselves, because they will not be opened and counted until Election Day.  But it is reported how many registered voters cast ballots, and which political party those registered voters are in.