Absentee voting ballets for President
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
October 16, 2008 11:39am CST
Does anyone really know if they actually "count" in the complete vote talley? I mean, on election night, you see them updating as physical polls close and then they will mention from time to time "mail-in /absentee ballots have not been counted" or something to that effect. But at the end of the night - the one with the most electorial votes is declared the winner - but what about the absentee ballots they keep saying have not been counted or included? When are they done being counted and what if there are enough votes accumulated via absentee voting that makes the current "looser" the next president? There's a lot that do absentee voting as they are out of the country (military) or can'//dont want to take off work and a variety of other reasons so they vote by mail. You even get sent a ballot and "return postage paid" envelope!
But I have recently heard that they are not counted - at all. Which made me wonder - ergo this discussion. How can they not be counted? And quite frankly, in the history - I have never heard of any candiates total votes being altered due to absentee votes for him nor has there ever been a "recall" of the winner based on absentee votes being counted.
So, what's the deal? Is it really an option? Or are they just taking away our right to vote -and just not telling us they are doing so?
2 responses
@drannhh (15219)
• United States
16 Oct 08
As near as I can tell they did NOT count the last absentee ballot I cast in California. The excuse was that the statistics already decided the vote from the states in earlier time zones and from live votes earlier in the day, so although the absentee ballots had been sitting there for weeks they did not bother to open them. This troubles me, of course, just as it troubles me when dogs, cats, and now Mickey Mouse are all allowed to cast live ballots which presumably do get counted.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
16 Oct 08
Just seems to be that something is not right with it. They never say how many have been counted, etc.
@my52cents (569)
• United States
16 Oct 08
I guess if the total number of absentee ballot envelopes was less than the winning margin in any of the races or issues, then they wouldn't have to be counted. You would still have voted, but your specific vote wouldn't have made a winning or losing difference. I like to think that my specific vote helped push someone over the top (or not).
Interesting question. My son will absentee vote from Iraq and I know he wants his vote to count. In this presidential election, his vote might be the one to break a tie!
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
16 Oct 08
So you're saying that they count the ENVELOPES ONLY and "assume" if all those go to the "looser" and if it isn't enough to put him over the top, they don't even include the count or open the envelopes? I guess I can see that, but still - kind of crappy that your vote was dumped in the trash!
