Save time, vote early
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Editor,
Even though Nov. 6 is a few weeks away, you can cast your vote now by absentee ballot or by going to your county of residence’s election office and vote in person on up to noon the day before the election.
I’m a strong believer in early voting. I like the convenience of choosing a day that fits into my work and commute schedule. In Lake County, my polling place is a 10-mile round trip from home opposite of the direction where I work, so my option is to go vote after work about 6 p.m. on Election Day, and that’s usually the busiest time at the polls. On the other hand, early voting at the county courthouse is a few miles away from my workplace. Early voting is often easier for elderly and mobility-impaired people because there are fewer (or no) lines. In Montana, we’re just not going to deal with long lines unless it’s to get into the annual Griz-Cat football game.
Another surprising bonus of early and absentee voting, I found, is that I receive few or no “campaign telephone calls” because candidates’ campaigns are working from voter registrations, and people who have requested absentee ballots are usually crossed off the list. Good assumption, because if we’ve requested absentee ballots or have already voted early, we certainly don’t need a reminder call to go vote.
So remember, you don’t have to wait until Election Day. Choose to vote absentee or vote early, and tell your friends and neighbors about it.
Ruth Swaney
St. Ignatius
