Civics Re: Hillary Clinton visit

[Carol]

Kemper wrote:
> 
> > In my state, Oregon, we get our ballots a couple of weeks before
election day.  That way everyone gets the opportunity to vote without
> losing a day of work or standing in lines that stretch forever.
> > 
> > I'm surprised other states don't adopt our awesome system!
> 
> Tonks:
> 
> I called your state when I was working on Hillary's campaign. Don't
you have to take the ballot and drop it off at set places if you 
didn't mail it ahead. I don't like the idea. I think many people would
forget to turn it in. In my state we just go somewhere close to where
we live and for me at least there are not long lines. <snip>

Carol responds:
I don't know about Oregon, but Arizona voted against a change to
mail-in ballots only, so we have a choice between mailing in the
ballot or going to the polls. For the first time ever, I'm requesting
a mail-in ballot, giving up the privilege of a secret ballot (and
risking encountering problems that might be caused by last-minute
changes to the ballot) because I have a tight, unchangeable deadline
that very day and I don't want to miss voting because I'm still
working to meet that deadline or, worse, miss the deadline because I'm
at the polls! Anyway, the only way to vote if you miss the mail-in
deadline is to go to the polls. I like the either/or option. I also
like going to the polls where it feels like you're really voting,
doing your cividc duty, "I voted" sticker and all, but not this year!

BTW, if I disappear from all HPFGU groups between October 20 and
November 4, it won't be because I'm encountering some catastrophe
(knock on wood!). It will be because I have to copyedit 550 pages in
fifteen days (I'll be working weekends and well into the night). Scary
stuff, but it pays more than projects with realistic deadlines.

Carol, who still has a normal project to work on before that one
arrives and had better get to it!