Changes

Historically, voters who could not vote on Election Day could cast an absentee ballot well prior to the election, and some military and overseas voters receive ballots for elections nearly two months before Election Day.  In the last 15 years, "early voting" has become legal and popular in many areas of the Nation.  In some States, most of the voting is done by voters at their convenience prior to Election Day (i.e., prior to the Tuesday after the first Monday in November).  In Ohio in 2012, there was 35 days of early voting during which far more than a million votes were cast.  By the time of Election Day, the outcome in Ohio may have been already a foregone conclusion (but one that would not have been known by voters), and the votes on Election Day probably did not change the result.  Is this what the Framers had in mind?

Historically, voters who could not vote on Election Day could cast an absentee ballot well prior to the election, and some military and overseas voters receive ballots for elections nearly two months before Election Day.  In the last 15 years, "early voting" has become legal and popular in many areas of the Nation.  In some States, most of the voting is done by voters at their convenience prior to Election Day (i.e., prior to the Tuesday after the first Monday in November).  In Ohio in 2012, there was 35 days of early voting during which far more than a million votes were cast.  By the time of Election Day, the outcome in Ohio may have been already a foregone conclusion (but one that would not have been known by voters), and the votes on Election Day probably did not change the result.  Is this what the Framers had in mind?

Ohio shortened its early voting from 35 days to 28 days for the election this year, in 2014.  Democrats, feeling that a shorting of early voting was disadvantageous to their side, sued to preserve the 35 days of early voting.  An appellate panel of 3 Democrat-appointed judges reinstated 35 days of early voting, in a decision rendered just prior to the beginning of the period.

Ohio shortened its early voting from 35 days to 28 days for the election this year, in 2014.  Democrats, feeling that a shorting of early voting was disadvantageous to their side, sued to preserve the 35 days of early voting.  An appellate panel of 3 Democrat-appointed judges reinstated 35 days of early voting, in a decision rendered just prior to the beginning of the period.  The panel upheld the district court's decision that, under the particular circumstances of Ohio, the reduction of early voting periods that African-Americans had come to rely upon violated Section 2 of the [[Voting Rights Act]].

Then Ohio did an emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is usually rarely granted.  In a surprise 5-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, September 29, 2014, it allowed Ohio to shorten its early voting period from 35 to 28 days.

Then Ohio did an emergency application to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is usually rarely granted.  In a surprise 5-4 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, September 29, 2014, it allowed Ohio to shorten its early voting period from 35 to 28 days for the November 2014 election.

While an average person might support the concept of early voting for the convenience of the voter, not everything that "sounds good" is really good after also.  The more early voting there is, the less significant Election Day itself is.  Some studies show that early voting actually reduces overall "turnout" by voters (the percentage of people who are eligible to vote who then actually do vote).  The reduction in voter turnout is probably due to the loss in focus on Election Day.

While an average person might support the concept of early voting for the convenience of the voter, not everything that "sounds good" is really good after also.  The more early voting there is, the less significant Election Day itself is.  Some studies show that early voting actually reduces overall "turnout" by voters (the percentage of people who are eligible to vote who then actually do vote).  The reduction in voter turnout is probably due to the loss in focus on Election Day.