We All Know The Election Is October 20 - Why Vote Early?

​It goes by many different names. You may know it as advance polling or pre-poll voting. Essentially it is an early voting opportunity. The process of advance polling is that is gives voters in any public election a day to cast their ballots before the scheduled election day. Typically the advance polling day is ten days prior to Election Day.
 
In my younger years I seem to recall that advance polling was more or less meant to give people who may be out of town on voting day, or unable to get to the polling station due to some other reason a chance to still have their vote recorded. I can tell you that in many of the local, provincial and federal elections that have happened over the past several years, my wife, Brenda, and I have taken advantage of the advance polling date to vote.
 
We did that earlier today, as a matter of fact.
 
But why would anyone vote early in any election if you are going to be in town or otherwise able to attend the polling station on Election Day? Well, here are a few reasons that get Brenda and I out on the advance polling date.
 
1 – To Get It Over With
 
I know, this municipal election is very different for me as I am a candidate. However, in our household we discuss voting strategy – sometimes at great length. It is because of our belief in exercising our franchise and using our right to vote that we take it so seriously. It also means that if we vote in the advance polling opportunity, we can quit talking about the election and focus on other things.
 
2 – It Eliminates Last-Minute Second Thoughts
 
Going into this election Brenda and I already had a bit of an idea who would get our votes. In other words, we had a ‘short list’ of potential candidates to support. We paid attention to online performance, listened to what was said at the all-candidates forum and asked others around us for insight. In other words, we did our homework. With all of this decided, prior to going to the advance polling station, we had another discussion and firmed up our choices. Then we voted.
 
3 – We Missed The Crowd – Sort Of
 
The advance polling station this morning was already open about four hours when we got to it. There were two voters ahead of us and we went through quickly. Brenda was Voter #65 and I was Voter #66. As we left, we noticed a line had formed and extended out to the street. There was a time when advance voting got you through the polling station fast and without much of a wait. However, the popularity of voting early has more or less ‘caught on’ and more voters are taking advantage of the opportunity. So, we missed a crowd ahead of us, I guess.
 
4 – Nothing Can Influence Us Now
 
The best thing about voting in an advance poll is that if something big happens – you know, like a scandal of some kind – we won’t be changing our vote. For some people, this is the reason they will use to defend the position of waiting for Election Day to vote. It’s a good reason if you are still trying to decide and I have done this myself. However, in our house this time around, we weren’t going to wait to cast our ballots.
 
5 – We Can Say We’ve Done Our Part For The Future of Princeton
 
I know, that sounds a bit hokey, but in reality, anyone who votes in this municipal election will be contributing to the direction our community is going to go. It really is a big deal when you think about it. Every four years you, me, Brenda and every other eligible voter gets to put our collective minds together and say who we want to see moving the community ahead. If you didn’t vote during the advance polling opportunity, I hope you still plan on voting on October 20.