Early voting, or "vote banking," not to be confused with absentee voting, allows a voter to cast a ballot in front of an elections official before the official poll date. Exact dates for the opening and closing of early voting depend on the state and type of election, but usually begin approximately two weeks and conclude three or four days before the official election date, respectively. Voting occurs at select sites in the various counties; availability depends on the number of sites (DOE offices and county libraries) and the times of operation (usually 4-10 hours a day). 23 United States states currently allow early voting. As of November 4 2006, 35 US states permit either ither absentee or early voting no restrictions. NPR Early voting is generally popular with voters who dislike the long lineups to cast their vote on election day. In the United States, an absentee ballot is a ballot that the voter receives and (usually) sends through the mail, rather than travelling to a polling place and marking the ballot at a voting booth. ... Opinion polls are surveys of opinion using sampling. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ... A modern-style library in Chambéry In the traditional sense of the word, a library is a collection of books and periodicals, . It can refer to an individuals private collection, but more often it is a large collection that is funded and maintained by a city or institution. ...

Vote banking can also refer to a political leader or party that attempts to appeal to a group of people to secure their vote. This stems from the perception that politicians see minorities and special interest groups as mere votes that will sway the tide of an election.

Florida and the 2004 Election

The U.S. state of Florida officially began early voting in 2004 as part of post-2000 election reform. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Minor parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries â€¢ Politics Portal • • A state of the United States is any one of the fifty subnational entities referred to... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... An election is a decision making process where people choose people to hold official offices. ...

Turnout for early voting exceeded one million in 2004. There were some problems: 1st-day computer failures in Orange County and Broward County; accidentally-erased votes in Volusia County; and a lack of early voting sites in Jacksonville. Reforms are being discussed to address the known issues, as well as possibly eliminating the standard poll in favor of modified early voting. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Lego RCX Computer is an example of an embedded computer used to control mechanical devices. ... Orange County is a county located in the state of Florida. ... Location of county in the state of Florida County Seat Fort Lauderdale, Florida Area  - Total  - Water 3,418 km² (1,320 Population  - Total (2000)  - Density   1,623,018 520/km² (1,346/mi²) Time zone Eastern: UTC_5 Latitude Longitude 26°728 N 80°1458 W External link: Official... Volusia County is a county located in the state of Florida. ... Motto: Where Florida Begins Location in the state of Florida Coordinates: Country United States State Florida County Duval Mayor John Peyton (R) Area    - City 2,264. ... Opinion polls are surveys of opinion using sampling. ...

Maryland

In August 2006, a judge ruled in favor of several plaintiffs that the state constitution only permitted voting on the day of the election. The plaintiffs were challenging a new early-voting law on the probability of fraud. Absentee ballots appear to remain acceptable for the time being. August 2006 is the eighth month of that year, and has yet to occur. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Postal voting. ...

Early voting in other states

A list of early voting & absentee voting states is maintained by the National Conference of State Legislatures. At present (July 7, 2006), US states which still prohibit early voting or in person absentee voting include Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania , Rhode Island, South Carolina and Washington State. In Oregon, all ballots are cast through the mail. In the United States, an absentee ballot is a ballot that the voter receives and (usually) sends through the mail, rather than travelling to a polling place and marking the ballot at a voting booth. ... The National Conference of State Legislatures is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nations 50 states, its commonwealths and territories. ...

[Early and Absentee Voting Laws (As of 7/26/06)

Absentee & Early Voting States

Early voting in other countries

• Pre Poll Voting (Australia)

External links

• Florida Statute 101.657
• Florida's DOE Early Voting Procedures
• MSNBC Report on the start of Early Voting in 2004