After working MO for the Obama campaign I can say no to the mail-in vote idea. Too much risk of fraud. Photo ID is a MUST. Election day registration only works when those manning the polls do not have an agenda of making it hard for voters likely to vote opposite of their wishes. Early voting would give those likely to be “unfavored” a chance to question biased poll workers. They would have more time to double check what a poll worker told them if it didn’t sound legit.

While conservatives grumbled about ACORN “vote fraud” we watched scores of outstate bubbas not wanting anyone with any af-am blood in the white house try to turn away legit voters of a certain shade, or likely to vote liberal. Violent felons passed muster with their iffy papers while pot bag felons got turned away. They repeatedly told falsehoods to certain voters to make it as difficult as possible for them to vote. We saw error ridden ballots being accepted from “those Obama people” without comment. They knew they would be thrown out. I have no doubt Obama would have carried MO had the crooked rednecks not been manning many of the outstate polls. Luckily, he had more support than these bigots ever dreamed of elsewhere to carry the day, even with the repub’s last minute absentee ballot scam.

And Bubba Bush-Bots, those who waited seven hours to vote in some urban areas are more patriotic and valuable to this country’s future than you will ever be.

Maybe they wouldn’t have had to waited as long to vote if their 3rd grade education had them more prepared.

David - You have no idea what you are talking about, but lay blame everywhere. I am an election assistant supervisor. FYI, no decisionsare made and nothing is done without a rep from both the Dem party and the GOP doing it together. We work together to see that elections are fair for all legitimate voters. No one is able to “push” their agenda on anyone. Each poll is staffed with equal numbers of GOP and Dems. Each poll has a GOP supervisor and a Dem supervisor who make all decisions together based on the rules we are provided by the Board of Elections. I resent your ignorant attitude towards those who have different opinions than you.

(Editor’s note: I’m glad you’re against name-calling, because I edited that part out. Keep it civil, please.)

I think more voter participation wold be good, as long as those voting are educated on the issues and the background of the people they are voting for. I for one will be the first to say that I used to walk into a voting booth feeling absolutely clueless. I was relieved when I found Randy Charles Epping’s latest book “The 21st Century Economy—A Beginner’s Guide” to help explain to me understand economic and political issues better.

http://www.fusioneconomics.com/about_the_book.html

I like the idea of early voting, but I am given to understand that it would cost a good deal of money to keep the polls open for an extended period of time before election day. If that is the case, then I am not sure that it would be the best use of scarce funds. Oregon, however, manages to run very efficient, very inexpensive elections entirely by mail. I think that other states (Missouri included) would do well to follow Oregon’s example.

Voting early is wrong. It is unfair to the candidates–the campaign is not over! It is unfair to fellow citizens who fully educate themselves before making a decision by waiting to vote until the campaign is over and all the probable issues have been thoroughly vented.

Voting before the end of the campaign is like crowning a champion after the horses have left the gate at the Kentucky Derby but before the race is finished. We all saw what a mistake that would have been in this year’s competition alone. The skills of the horse and jockey weren’t fully demonstrated until the final turn.

So what if one day every four years you have to stand in line a little while. Isn’t your country’s future worth it?