6 a.m. to 7 p.m. 13 hours to vote. And that’s not enough time?
If you listen to Governor Tim Kaine and Democrats, it isn’t enough time and we’re in an electoral crisis. Or worse – a spiritual one.
“I hope I don’t lose my place in heaven because I told a lie on Election Day,” said Del Rosalyn Dance (D-Petersburg).
Given that the average work day for most Americans is now about 8 hours, that leaves five hours to vote. Take into account that the average daily commute is 25 minutes, that leaves a person about four hours to vote.
Now, the worst commutes are in areas where there are heavy concentrations of government employees. Yet most government employees are provided some time off either before or after work to complete voting. According to the Office of Personnel Management, a government employee can take time off if a poll opens less than three hours before the beginning or ending of work, whichever is less. So, if the poll opens at 6 a.m. and an employee starts work at 7 a.m. but routinely works until 5 p.m. and the polls close at 7 p.m., the employee can leave work at 4 p.m.
Therefore, you can see that many of Virginia’s employees already have three hours to find time to vote.
Certainly, if you’re going to be out of town, or one of the other 16 reasons Virginia currently has to vote absentee, you should vote absentee.
But only because you want to vote early? Is there justification for this? Perhaps there is a cost savings with early voting.
In the fiscal impact statement for HB1621, there really is no justification:
Local governments may incur indeterminate costs or savings. There may be increased demand for local governments to print and mail additional absentee ballots, but the number of election day ballots needed would decrease. Demand for increased local staff may be necessary prior to election. Fewer voting machines needed could produce cost savings on election day.
This is an argument? This is a study? Er…maybe we’d save money? Or maybe we might just put an unfunded mandate on our cities and counties.
The above justification looks like a teenager taking five minutes to scribble down a quick paragraph before the teacher picks up the paper.
The reality is that there is ample time for a person to vote on election day and ample provision for a person to vote absentee.
All that’s going on now is grandstanding by the governor and his dutiful followers in the House and Senate. Kudos to Dels. Landes, Frederick, Cosgrove and Jones for tabling the House bill.
Or course, the Senate is sure to pass it.
The reality is that giving people more time or the ability to vote absentee is going to have little impact on voting – other than the anomaly of this past general election, most people just don’t seem to care.
Of course, if it weren’t for the absentee ballots, Joe Murray would not be in a recount right now.
