Voting Early vs. Voting Often

So I heard an interesting talk show debate about the merits and sanctity of keeping Election Day the only day people should be allowed to cast a vote.

I heard the A-number-One argument, which was, by eliminating all this free and easy early voting we will reduce the likelihood of voter fraud. I agree. Point made. Agreed

I heard an admonishment / impassioned plea about how people in other countries walk miles or risk violence and death to exercise their right to vote. American's apparently can't be inconvenienced to change their schedules, drive their luxury automobiles four or five miles and cast their vote on a single calendar day, instead finding it necessary to do it when it is absolutely convenient or not at all. A bit overwrought even if there are some salient points and I'll admit I was swept up for a moment by the patriotic zeal in this argument but not for long.

The weakest argument was that some late breaking news about a candidate may cause a sudden change of heart or mind of said early voter who's premature decision is now locked inside the early vote, preventing the fully informed voter to cast the ballot they would ultimately want to cast. To this I say:

a) in the age of the internet, where even mundane ATM transactions by private citizens are captured with high-def video and every cell phone has a video camera, I doubt that the ultra-desperate candidates in this race are waiting to do a "big reveal" of some scandal or are still searching for dirt in the last two weeks before this election. Dirt that can be found would have already been found. Dirt that could be used would already be used.

and

b) that the hypothetical of a live-donkey-show in Mexico City attended by some candidate will change people's mind. The Fox Poll below suggests how ludicrous that notion is.






Because let's face it, the most likely voters in this election don't care if the candidate attended said donkey-show as long as said candidate is going to lower taxes, repeal bad legislature and get out of the way of businesses trying to create jobs.

And I would offer additionally that my primary reason for voting is born out of the intent of improving the future that my children will inherit. With even the most minute risk of dropping dead or getting run over by a bus it is in my children's best interest that I cast my well informed, highly-unlikely-to-change vote early.

Finally, Dick Morris said the most important thing conservatives can do all year is to vote.

So with that I will be off to the ballot box tomorrow.