Special Election Tuesday January 19 (Add'l Absentee Ballot Info)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

Pursuant to a previous post and ron_newman's poll reminder, I wanted to provide one last update to information on voting by absentee ballot that I received from Somerville City Hall earlier this week.

You may vote at Somerville City Hall at 93 Highland Ave. until 4:00pm on Friday, January 15th.

Tonight, Thursday January 14th, City Hall Elections will be open until 7:00pm. The front desk will direct you to elections, which are down the stairs one floor directly in front of you as you walk in (it's well marked).

Complete the form that can be downloaded here and bring it with you, or City Hall elections can provide you with one. Please know what your voting address is.

Please be sure to vote in the upcoming election. Recent polls* have shown a tied race. So regardless of your political persuasion, every vote will count.

Also, please help spread the word about the special election by reminding friends and family.

This will be the last reminder, I promise.
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* PPP released a poll on Saturday at 8:00pm showing Brown leading Coakley by 1 percentage point amongst likely voters in a two-way race, omitting libertarian candidate form the questionare. Tuesday, January 12, Rasmussen Reports released a poll showing Coakley leading Brown 49% to 47%.

Comments

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Please don't forget that absentee ballots are for specifically defined situations, as on the form. If you fraudulently vote absentee just because it's convenient, your vote could potentially be challenged and not count anyway.

(OP, can you maybe edit to add some info about that? I seriously doubt there are that many people who are around now to go to City Hall but who won't be within Somerville at all between 7am and 8pm Tuesday.)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mattt/]

The penalty for fraudulent voting is $10,000, as stated on the form.

There is no intent to urge people to vote by absentee ballot because it is convenient or engage in other fraudulent voting. The post was simply a reminder that it is not too late for people to vote by absentee ballot if they are going to need to do so.

Absentee ballots typically aren't counted unless the race is close, so it is better to vote in person if you can.

[ron_newman]

Where did you get the information that "absentee ballots aren't counted until the race is close" ?

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

One of the situations, as clearly spelled out, is "absence from your city or town during normal polling hours." Many people work in other cities and towns, many people are away from home between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. between work and commuting, and many people may work on Tuesdays but not on another weekday.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that second sentence should have read "away from home between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m given a combination of work and commuting time."

Also, business trips. Plenty of people may have business trips next week but be able to get to City Hall this week.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying it doesn't apply to anyone, but I think people should be aware of the specifics. Even if someone lives in Somerville and works elsewhere, they are unlikely to be out of the city for all of 7am to 8pm. Not impossible, just unlikely. I know a lot of people who want to vote absentee to avoid the potential lines, so they don't have to get up early to vote before work, etc, but they should know that it's illegal, that's all.

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Absentee ballots typically aren't counted unless the race is close, so it is better to vote in person if you can.

I can't speak for anywhere else, but that is not true in Somerville. All ballots are counted.

[icecreamempress.livejournal.com]

Even if someone lives in Somerville and works elsewhere, they are unlikely to be out of the city for all of 7am to 8pm. Not impossible, just unlikely.

I wish that were true!