Voting Only in Electoral District of Registration

Some systems for early voting in person require that voters must vote within their electoral district of registration. In such systems, voting procedures would be similar to those used in ordinary voting stations on voting day.  This would particularly be the case if it is a requirement that all voting stations are to be open for in-person early voting.

Voting Outside of Electoral District Of Registration

Where voters can use in-person early voting facilities outside their electoral district of registration, procedural alternatives would closely follow those for absentee voting on voting day described in Qualifications and Eligibility Procedures

Under these systems some early voters will still vote within their electoral district of registration. It would be more effective to process these voters in the normal fashion, without the need for special voters’ lists, enveloping systems and other security mechanisms used for control of integrity of early absentee voters.

Locations
In-person early voting systems should make provision for at least one early voting location in each electoral district. Systems that require early voters to vote at their normal voting station are basically an expensive form of multiple day voting.

However, it does have advantages of familiarity, and requires minimal use of additional procedures, materials or staff training. Integrity can still be maintained by opening a limited number of sites within an electoral district (perhaps only one), depending on expected numbers of early voters.

Distances that voters may have to travel to use early voting facilities, and the availability of suitable premises, will be considerations in determining the number of early voting locations.

Conducting early voting within already established electoral district managers' offices, rather than setting up separate voting sites can be cost-effective. However, unless a separate area for early voting can be provided, the flow of voters can prove a considerable distraction to administrative staff, and space within the office can be at a premium. Where considerable numbers of early voters are expected, it would generally be preferable that separate premises be used for early voting.

Hours of Opening

As many voters using early voting facilities may be doing so because of work or care commitments, best practice would require that early voting locations are open beyond normal business hours.

Voting by Mail

Voting by mail is the most widespread form of early or absentee voting. After a request by the voter, voting material is mailed to the voter's specified address by the electoral management body. The voter then completes their vote and returns it, either by mail or in person, to an electoral management body office.
Integrity checks would require a statement of the voter's identity and eligibility to accompany the returned ballot material. Successful mail voting systems depend on an efficient mail delivery service throughout the area under election.

Integrity Issues

It is easier for integrity to be compromised during mail voting as checks and balances are more difficult to implement. Perceived integrity problems with mail voting include:

• The high level of proof of identity and eligibility standards that can be applied in voting stations cannot be applied to mail voting--particularly where voters themselves provide the address to which mail voting material is dispatched;

• there is no opportunity for party or candidate representatives to observe voting by mail;

• It is not feasible to provide complete security for all voting material as it moves through postal systems;

• There can be no guarantee that the voter who signs any declaration accompanying the vote, in fact completed the vote or was not subject to influence or intimidation when completing the vote

Perceptions of fraud or irregularities can arise where large numbers of mail ballots are received from institutions for the aged and infirm or from security forces on active duty. For this reason mobile voting stations, though more costly, are generally held to be a more effective means of enabling access to voting for voters in care institutions see Hospitals or on active security duty in the country.

In the last decade some jurisdictions have turned to holding elections entirely by mail. Analysis of these has revealed cost advantages and generally a positive effect on voter turnout. Particularly where efficient, high volume automated mail contractors are available, this voting method can produce considerable administrative advantages, although total integrity of mail voting may be compromised.

In developed societies, vote by mail elections can be seen as an advance from traditional in-person voting methods and the future of voting via personal telecommunications links.

Characteristics of Mail Voting Systems

While mail voting systems differ extensively in detail, there are necessary basic characteristics for any mail voting system. These would include:
A signed request from the voter for a mail vote. This may need to be in a prescribed form, and may need to be provided for each election or as a request for permanent registration as a mail voter (see below). There would normally be a cut-off date for receipt of such requests, aligned with the time sufficient for the voter to receive and return voting material before the return deadline.

Dispatch of voting materials to the voter immediately on receipt of the request.

Requirement for the voter to include a signed (and, often, witnessed) statement attesting to his her identity and eligibility to vote with his/her returned ballot.

Use of voting materials that both protect voting integrity and secrecy, even when returned voting material is identified to a specific voter. These may entail double enveloping systems for returned materials, or ballot envelopes with detachable flaps containing voter data 

Systems for reconciling early voting materials requested, issued, unused, and returned.

A method of return. Some jurisdictions include postage paid return envelopes with voting material sent to the voter. In other jurisdictions the voter is responsible for the return postage. This can make a considerable difference in mail voting costs. Generally requiring the voter to pay for return postage is a negligible imposition. Additionally, some jurisdictions have successfully used secure drop-in deposit boxes where voters can return mailed votes by hand without postage.

Methods for determining the eligibility to be included in the count of returned voting material. To assist in maintaining integrity, these would require measures such as comparing signatures on applications for mail votes, and returned declarations of eligibility, with voter registration records, as well as checking dates of recording or return of the vote against cut-off dates.

Checking returned mail voting material against voters lists to ensure that voters do not vote both by mail and in person on voting day. The two approaches are:

• when mail vote return deadlines are before voting day, the names of voters who have voted by mail can be marked on voters’ lists before these are provided to voting stations, so that a further normal vote will not be issued.
• when deadlines for return of mail voting material are before or after voting day, voters’ lists returned from voting stations are checked against voters who have returned mail votes. If a voter is marked as having voted at a voting station and has also returned a mail vote, the mail vote is disqualified (and appropriate voting investigations commenced).

Vote count systems that ensure that mail votes are not counted until after the close of normal voting. Returned mail voting material could, however, be checked for eligibility, ballot envelopes opened and ballots placed in ballot boxes prior to the close of voting in normal voting stations. In some jurisdictions where mail voting closes before voting day, returned mail votes are dispatched to the voting station for which the voter is registered, to be included in the count for that voting station. It would be regarded as more effective to count them at a central location.

Permanent Registration of Mail Voters

In some jurisdictions with continuous registration systems, facilities are available for voters to be placed, on application, on permanent registers of mail voters, thus ensuring that they will be automatically sent voting material for elections for their electoral district. Maintaining this facility can considerably reduce workloads for voting operations staff during the election period and provide a beneficial service to voters.

In some jurisdictions, more restrictive criteria are applied for inclusion on such registers than are applied for eligibility for mail voting in general, such as:

• permanent disability

• residing a considerable, specified distance from the nearest voting station

• incarceration (in systems where prisoners may vote)

There is no compelling reason for introducing stricter controls for other early voters (see Early voting). However, given the lesser controls that can be exercised over the integrity of mail voting, it is important that these permanent registers are regularly reviewed to ensure continuing eligibility of the voters listed.