Writer: Siena Iwasaki Milbauer
2020 saw historic numbers of folks voting early, either in-person or by absentee ballot. In Minnesota, over 1.8 million people voted early. In the whole country, it was around 100 million.
Across the United States and in Minnesota, volunteers and election officials are hard at work counting each and every vote, making sure all of our voices are heard in this election. Many of the votes still being counted were cast via mail-in absentee ballots. So while we wait, let’s take a look at the history and present of absentee voting.
The history of absentee voting
Absentee voting existed as far back as colonial times, but its first notable appearance in American elections was during the Civil War. Absentee voting made it possible for Union soldiers on the front lines to vote in the 1864 presidential election. In the following decades, absentee voting became a common practice for military personnel. Additionally, as technology and transportation advanced, absentee voting was extended to more and more ordinary Americans.
Folks were also increasingly able to vote absentee without providing a reason, such as illness, for why they wanted to vote absentee. This is called no-excuse absentee voting. Today, 34 states either offered no-excuse absentee voting, or permitted folks to use the pandemic as their excuse in the 2020 election. This includes Minnesota.
Minnesota has actually allowed no-excuse absentee voting for several years, including during the 2016 presidential election. Statistics have been inconclusive as to whether or not no-excuse absentee voting increases turnout. However, Minnesota continues to be a leader in voter turnout in the United States and progressive measures like this are why.
Minnesota is currently dealing with an 8th Circuit Court ruling which requires ballots arriving after 11/3 to be kept separate, even if they were postmarked on or before election day. If these ballots are ultimately not counted, it could disenfranchise hundreds of voters, including many military personnel.
What happened to my absentee ballot?
If you voted absentee, you might be wondering what happened to your absentee ballot after it left your hands! Well, once your ballot was returned to your county election office, either through USPS or by you dropping it off, it was marked as having arrived and stored in a secure location. Then, your signature envelope was confirmed by the Ballot Board. The Ballot Board is usually made up of election judges from different parties and/or county staff. They check your ID, registration, and signature. They also make sure that you haven’t already voted in person. After that, your ballot is counted!
As a country, we must be patient and have faith in our tried and tested democratic process while each and every vote is counted. In times of war and crisis, of pandemic and depression: No matter the circumstances, the United States has always successfully held elections and maintained a peaceful transfer of power. Absentee voting has often been an important part of this process, and it certainly is this year. Whether you voted absentee or in-person, by voting, you proved your commitment to democracy. Now it’s time to come together and make sure that nothing stands in the way of counting each and every vote and delivering our democracy freely and fairly.
Sources:
Featherly, Kevin, “8th Circuit overturns ballot extension”, Minnesota Lawyer, 29 Oct. 2020. https://minnlawyer.com/2020/10/29/8th-circuit-overturns-ballot-extension/. Accessed 4 Nov. 2020.
Kaul, Greta, “2016 was the first presidential election in Minnesota with no excuse absentee and early voting. How did that go?”, MinnPost, 15 Nov. 2016. https://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2016/11/2016-was-first-presidential-election-minnesota-no-excuse-absentee-and-early/. Accessed 28 Oct. 2020.
Kirby, Jen and Molla, Rani, “9 questions about 2020’s record-breaking early vote, answered”, Vox, 3 Nov. 2020. https://www.vox.com/21527600/early-vote-explained. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.
Montemayor, Stephen, “More than 1.8M absentee ballots accepted in Minnesota as feds announce election monitors”, Star Tribune, 3 Nov. 2020. https://www.startribune.com/1-7m-absentee-ballots-returned-in-minn-feds-to-send-monitors/572949792/. Accessed 3 Nov. 2020.
Rotondi, Jessica Pearce, “Vote-by-Mail Programs Date Back to the Civil War”, History, 28 Sept. 2020. https://www.history.com/news/vote-by-mail-soldiers-war. Accessed 28 Oct. 2020.
Van Oot, Torey, “What happens to your Minnesota absentee ballot after you mail it?”, Star Tribune, 30 Oct. 2020. http://startribune.com/what-happens-to-your-minnesota-mail-in-absentee-ballot-after-you-mail-it-votes-counted/572029141/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2020.
Waxman, Olivia B., “Voting by Mail Dates Back to America’s Earliest Years. Here’s How It’s Changed Over the Years”, Time, 28 Sept. 2020. https://time.com/5892357/voting-by-mail-history/. Accessed 28 Oct. 2020.