‘Vote early, vote often’ is a saying associated with political corruption. While its possible to vote early, through postal ballots, voting often in the same election is disallowed in elections that abide by ‘true’ democratic principles. In some U.S. states, however, it is possible for those who have cast their votes in advance of election day (such as via an absentee ballot) to change their minds and vote again. Only one vote, the most recent one made, counts.
CNN reports that this process is little known and rarely used; however, those U.S. states that permit the practice allow citizens to do so with no questions asked. The reason why the issue has attracted media attention is because of the unusually high number of early votes cast in the 2016 presidential election. The New York Times estimates that some 22 million voters will have already cast their ballots ahead of the Tuesday, November 8 poll.
One state that has seen a significant rise in early voting is Texas. Here 15 of the state’s largest counties, the number of early voters stands at 42.6 percent points higher compared with the 2012 election. According to The Independent, initial data suggests that Hillary Clinton is in the lead with the early votes, but not by very much.
With the ability to change one’s mind, the states that allow the practice vary in terms of the number of times this can happen. Those prone to indecisiveness in Wisconsin, for example, can change their minds up to three times. Other states that allow the practice include Minnesota, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and Mississippi. In contrast, changing a casted vote is not permitted in some key swig states like Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Arizona.
Perhaps, given the twists and turns of the 2016 presidential election, the option to alter a vote matches the shifting poll ratings of both candidates.
