The voter suppression conversation got me wondering about this.

How does voting work where you live?

In Indiana, we can request a mail in ballot. My wife did this for the primary. She sent it in like a month before the primary.

As for polling places, where I go, I have to present my driver's license and they check it against a list. I also have to give them my DOB and home address. Then they hook me up with a machine.

Is how all of this controlled different by state? In some states is it state run? County run?

Just curious because I don't see a fraud risk where I am.

Oregon has been voting entirely by mail since 1998. All registered voters get a ballot (and a voter's pamphlet) in the mail. I live a couple blocks away from an election office, so I usually drop my ballot off by hand at the very last moment, rather than mailing it back.

Poorly. It works .. poorly. ( moving to a system that required _more_ human involvement in basic functions, like counting, was a predictably bad idea in a state where a lot of government officials can't fucking count)

But yes, the answer to your broader question is that states primarily set the various rules. The question about how much input counties have in those rules is one I confess that I don't know the answer to outside of Georgia, where the answer is almost zero. I know counties can set the locations and number of locations for in-person advance voting (based on need, demand, etc) but beyond that I don't know that they have any other real authority regarding the process.

Oregon has been voting entirely by mail since 1998. All registered voters get a ballot (and a voter's pamphlet) in the mail. I live a couple blocks away from an election office, so I usually drop my ballot off by hand at the very last moment, rather than mailing it back.

Same here in Colorado, ballot mailed to all registered voters, drop it off at a ballot box.

Definitely preferable to how we did it in Minnesota when I worked at the Secretary of State. So many more moving parts when you have everyone come to the polling place on the same day.

We don't have vote by mail in Idaho (aside from the last election a few weeks ago, which was mail only due to pandemic), but we do have early voting. You can show up and vote anytime up to 3 weeks or so before election, including on the weekend in some location. I've never had to wait in a line, and I do kind of prefer going in and voting in person.

Arizona has both in person (polls) and early ballot mail in voting. We usually do mail in, but the polling place by us is usually not that bad. I have gotten in an out in 10 minutes and waited as long as 45 depending on the time of day.

Been voting by mail in NJ for ~5 years now. Anyone can request to vote by mail, you don't have to give a reason, but you do have to request it yourself. The state does not send it out automatically like I guess Oregon does.

Voting in Maryland (https://elections.maryland.gov/voting/index.html)

For the 2020 Presidential General Election:

You can either vote in person during early voting or on election day or by absentee ballot.
Early voting starts the 2nd Thursday before an election through the Thursday before an election. In the primary, each early voting center will be open continuously from 10 am to 8 pm each day. In the general, each early voting center will be open continuously from 8 am to 8 pm each day. Anyone in line at 8 pm will be allowed to vote.

On election day, you can vote at your assigned polling place. If you do not know where your polling place is, please visit our voter look-up website. On election day, polling places are open continuously from 7 am until 8 pm on. Anyone in line at 8 pm will be allowed to vote.

If you are unable to vote during early voting or on election day, you may vote by absentee ballot.


Early Voting (https://elections.maryland.gov/voting/early_voting.html)

Who can vote early?
Any person that is eligible to register to vote can vote.

Registered voters have always been able to vote during early voting, but now individuals who are eligible but not yet registered can register and vote.

To register and vote during early voting, go to an early voting center in the county where you live and bring a document that proves where you live. This document can be your MVA-issued license, ID card, or change of address card, or your paycheck, bank statement, utility bill, or other government document with your name and new address. You will be able to register to vote and vote.

When can I vote early?
There is no in-person early voting for the 2020 Presidential Primary Election.

2020 Presidential General Election: Thursday, October 22, 2020 through Thursday, October 29, 2020 from 8 am until 8 pm.

Where can I vote early?
For the 2020 Presidential General Election, you can vote in an early voting center in the county where you live. See a list of the 2020 Presidential General Election early voting sites (PDF)..

How will I vote during early voting?
Voting during early voting is the same as voting on election day. When you get to the early voting center, you will check in to vote and vote your ballot.

There will be instructions available at the early voting centers to familiarize you with the ballot. You may ask an election judge to explain how to vote, but you must cast your vote alone, unless you are unable to do so because you have a disability or are unable to read or write the English language.

I walk into the polling place with the voter registration card they send me or my ID and they scan it and I sign then get a ballot and fill in bubbles for my vote.

In-person I'm guessing is similar to most places. Walk in with your voter ID card, sign a sheet, and vote. Paper ballots are still mainly used by me although I've seen more electronic machines pop up. Used one in 2018 primary and it was real nice.

We also have mail ballots if you want. Requires providing a drivers license or state ID number for address verification and then will mail one out to you with tracking. It will also track when you mail it back so you know it has been received. The mail process is actually real nice and I'll be using it from now on since I hate lines and I can actually sit down and research the races.

Georgia has an automated the system. They scan your ID card and give you a card with a chip. You put it in a machine that is a touch screen ballot. Once you're done, a sheet is printed with your votes listed, that you then feed into a ballot box.

Germany: Compulsory to register your place of living with the city/county. A few weeks before every election you get a personal notification by mail with a 'pre-stamped' envelope and election roll in case you want to vote via mail.
Otherwise on election day, always a Sunday, you go to a local voting station (very rarely any wait time, certainly not more than a couple minutes), show your letter, get your name crossed off the list of voters, and go to a booth. Fill out the Form (no digital machines), put in a closed 'box', done.

Pretty analog process but works nevertheless due to splitting electorate up into small segments with lots of stations (mostly set up in municipal places like schools but can also be restaurants etc) with pretty much all city or federal workers available for duty at polling stations or behind the scenes stuff.

Same here in Colorado, ballot mailed to all registered voters, drop it off at a ballot box.

Definitely preferable to how we did it in Minnesota when I worked at the Secretary of State. So many more moving parts when you have everyone come to the polling place on the same day.

How long ago were you in Minnesota? The way it works now is quite a bit different, although many people do vote in person on Election Day. Anyone can request an absentee ballot and mail it in, and then check the status of their ballot online. There are also numerous early voting days, mostly during the work day, but even some on weekends. My wife and I waited roughly an hour in line on a Saturday early voting day during the 2016 election.

Showing ID is not required (with the exception of absentee ballots I believe, this is my first year requesting one and I haven't yet received it). You provide your name and street address for in-person voting.

Same here in Colorado, ballot mailed to all registered voters, drop it off at a ballot box.

Definitely preferable to how we did it in Minnesota when I worked at the Secretary of State. So many more moving parts when you have everyone come to the polling place on the same day.
Washington too - it's all by mail, no in-person voting. A recent update was prepaid postage which is nice, although there were quite a few drop-boxes prior so it's not like it was a big deal to send in the ballot without paying for postage before.

I can't emphasize enough how much easier this is than voting in person, and I can't ever imagine going back.