What if we all vote by absentee ballot come November?

[RagingInMiami]

What if we all refuse to vote by computer?
Would that ensure our votes get counted?
Or would that ensure it end up wasted?

[Captain Hilts]

1. That's what I did in MD. Voted early. nt

[inchbyinch]

8. Using cameras

What if those of us forced to use touch screen voting machines took a digital or polaroid camera screen shot of our vote? Could pictures be used as a kind of paper proof down the line?

[China_cat]

2. I tried to get an absentee ballot

for the 2004 election. Never received one and got all kinds of excuses as to why not...it was mailed, then I wasn't on the list of registered voters, then they never received the request. Then it was too late.

[babylonsister]

3. How can we be sure they're not all thrown out or

the vote changed once they're opened? I hate to sound and feel so cynical, but that's where I'm at.

[emulatorloo]

4. I voted absentee in '04;can't get past the feeling that my vote was "lost"

Have nothing to base that on except a small news story in our paper that quickly disappeared w no follow up. About a box of absentee votes 'discovered' after the election.

And when I was making calls for the Kerry campaign encouraging people to vote absentee, I got quite a few negative reactions -- "no I don't want to do that, who knows what will happen with my vote then!"

[StellaBlue]

5. I've been voting absentee by mail since 1998 and last November...

...I had to request a ballot FOUR TIMES. I still don't know for sure if my vote was counted... I don't know when it finally arrived, as I didn't get a ballot until the week of the election. I was in the UK and I sent it priority mail, at my own increased cost, just to be one of a handful of Kerry votes in this East Texas county.

Just a warning.

[Oceansaway]

6. in '04 i went to the courthouse and waited in a line to vote

absentee, along with alot of others...we had to give them a reason for the 'early' vote,
mine was i'd be 'out of town'...there was no problem at all...as far as i know anyway....

[DELUSIONAL]

7. Our county in Washington state voting is by absentee ballot only

or as they now call it -- voting by mail.

That way there is a paper record and if need be the vote can be hand counted.

We have voted by mail for years -- when you have a long list of unknown candidates and several important issues it is far easier to do the research and mark the ballot as you go along. Many of the so called non partisan offices are a misnomer -- like the school board positions. Gotta make sure you don't vote for a religious wing nut by mistake.