BENNETT: Five Reasons to Request an Absentee Ballot

By Colton Bennett

More than 10% of registered Democrats in Idaho have already requested an absentee ballot for the November election. Many of them will still end up voting in person on Election Day. So why do they request an absentee ballot?

Turns out the Democrats in our state long ago realized there are many good reasons to request an absentee ballot even if you prefer to vote in person. Republicans and Independents could learn a thing or two from them.

Here are five reasons why you should consider requesting an absentee ballot:

TIME TO STUDY: Getting an absentee ballot allows you (and your family members) to look at everything that is on the ballot before you go to vote. Will you have a school levy on the ballot? How do you plan to vote on the TWO Constitutional Amendments? Which judges will be on your ballot?

Many of us don’t know how much a proposed levy will be, nor did we know there were TWO changes to our state Constitution on the ballot. And if you are like me, you need some time to figure out how you feel about a given judge.

These questions are important, and getting a ballot in your hands allows you to become educated, have a family discussion, and make a decision that is more than a good guess.

My wife and I often get our ballots, fill out the parts we have decided on, and let the ballot sit in our safe for a few days while we think about the other issues. This gives us time to make an educated decision.

A SAFEGUARD TO EMERGENCIES: Once you have filled out your absentee ballot, even partially, you have clearly communicated your intent as a voter. If an emergency comes up, if you need surgery, if you get sick, if life gives you any form of lemons, you already have a ballot!

Every single election I have door-knocked, and it is upwards of a dozen now, I have ALWAYS met one or two people who were seriously planning to vote, and then something came up.

The thing about an absentee ballot is you can take it with you if you travel, put it in the mailbox on the way out the door, or even have your spouse drop it off at the courthouse while you are in the hospital. Getting a ballot in hand and voting at least in the races you have decided on ensures that you are banking your vote regardless of what happens.

One word of caution: it should be self-evident, but please DO NOT drop off a deceased relative’s absentee ballot. That is what Democrats do, not us.

YOU CAN STILL VOTE ON ELECTION DAY: Just because you get an absentee ballot does not mean you can’t vote early or on election day. In fact, many voters do just that. Simply take your absentee ballot with you to the polls and surrender it to the poll workers; they will issue you a new ballot on the spot.

In fact, requesting an absentee ballot is one of the most flexible forms of voting because once you’ve requested the ballot, you can still choose to vote in any of the other ways afforded.

A CHANCE TO FIX ANY ISSUES: Life happens. People move, their license or passport expires, they get married and change their name, or maybe they get drawn into a new precinct or voting location. About 5% of voters will end up needing to update something on or before election day in order to vote. Getting an absentee ballot allows you to address any issues or administrative matters regarding your vote with plenty of time to spare. Nobody wants to be running around looking for a utility bill at 7:15 PM on Election Day.

CLEAR INTENT TO VOTE: Having worked on many campaigns for both myself and other candidates, I can tell you that once a Republican requests an absentee ballot, we get daily updates of those lists. What do campaigns do with those lists? Many times we stop spending money on mailers, texts, and ads directed at you.

This is especially true if you return your ballot. For the most part, people who request absentee ballots drop to the bottom of our target list, especially if they return them. Why would a campaign spend money on someone who has already voted?

So whether you just want to unsubscribe from all the political texts and mailers you’re going to get, or you just want to save your local GOP some money, getting an absentee ballot and returning it will do the trick.

If you would like to request an absentee ballot, even if you still plan to vote on Election Day, you can do so at this link.

If you do not have an Idaho driver’s license, you can download this form and either mail or email it to your County Clerk.

About Colton Bennett

Colton Bennett is a husband, father, US Army veteran, and resident of Moscow. He is currently running for the Idaho House of Representatives in District 6.

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