This is what I call statewide elections in this state.
We go to the polls, elect a bunch of right winger block heads that create laws that no one really wants, never provide tax relief and take more rights and liberties* from us. Oh, but we correct all this by voting for referendums and initiatives that are progressive YET install conservative lawmakers. It is baffling.
*There is a progressive movement (not sure if Harris is on board) to rid ALL states of right to work laws thru Federal regulation.
Just look at the ballot measures. Not sure of the polling, but I am sure the new abortion law will pass, the open primaries will pass (the only vocal opposition is the party bosses, call a whaaaabulance), food tax cut will pass, Medicaid work requirement will fail and likely the referred law will get voted down.
So how is it that we continue to elect weirdos who pass very bad laws while keeping taxes high and throw cold water on them with the referendums?
It is an exercise in futility.
I hope with the passage of Open Primaries we can root some of these clowns out of the legislature.
EARLY VOTING IS A GOOD THING
We all know taking political advice from this guy is just a pass thru from his investor;
I know some people have this attitude that early voting is bad. I have never understood it. I have early voted probably over the past 15 years with a few exceptions. I will do the same today. My reason? If I have an emergency on election day, I already voted. I also have no idea where my musical precincts are each election. I have had my mind made up for months, so why not vote? The best part is NO LINES! I usually am in and out in 5 minutes or less.
When people tell you to not early vote, first ask them their benign reasoning then tell them to GFT!
Would a move to Minnesota or Colorado be in the future for you? You would have more freedoms and opportunities.
Guns, abortion, and racism cause people, who are otherwise Democrats, to vote for Republicans, that’s why South Dakotans often demonstrate a duality in their political preferences and/or political approaches. But I’m not justifying it, but rather it’s just the way it is. Our two major political parties in South Dakota are nationally defined, and in a state like South Dakota with a very large white population white South Dakotans see the Republican Party as the white people’s party and the gun party. It also explains why white women nationally support misogynists like Trump over his Democratic opponents, and frankly why minorities for the most part vote for Democrats because they see the Republicans as the racist political party…. As far as abortion as an issue in South Dakota itself, well, at the ballot box the political union of Democrats and libertarian Republicans protect abortion rights in this state, while the state legislature takes them away with the help of the “R” behind the names of most legislative candidates, who then win because they are members of the “white party”. #WhiteElephant
As far as voting early, I’m not a big fan of this, because I think over time it will disenfranchise voters by making the process not appear to be as consequential because I can always do it tomorrow. The true evil brilliance of early voting, IMO, is to get the potential voter disengaged through a watered-down political process, which for now is called an election or elections. Instead, the general and primary elections should be holidays designed to encourage people to vote on that day.
I have said the solution is only have early voting one week before election, because I still think it is important but, could be limited. I also think elections should be two days over a weekend.
Early voting should regain its “absentee” naming. It should be designed for those who are infirm or out of town on election day due to business or extended vacation.
I continue to have no problem with the 45 day early voting period. We don’t know what will be happening on election day. Only those who are unable to make up their mind wait until the pressure is on insist on no early voting. Those who operate in the shadows of a corrupt election organization, choose to get rid of any or all early voting because they believe they can drop something at the last minute and change the course of history. The corrupt will always try to drop an October surprise to fire up the last minute voters. Every election since 1968 has had some version of the October surprise. Early voting lessens the impact and the election deniers despise their last minute news cycle buster being blown away because so many have already voted.
People who vote early are like those who celebrate Christmas early out of convenience. Over time the purpose and meaning are lost.
In retail, a successful annual sale can be important to a store, but if you begin to stretch out the dates of the sale over time – due to greed – it will lose its punch, effectiveness, and numbers.
The October surprise theory is only valid if most vote before Election Day. Plus, what if something valid happens in the final days of a campaign, but you have already voted?