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, it would be possible for voting procedures to be similar to those used in ordinary voting stations on voting day (see Normal Voting Stations and Voting Hours Operations). 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 Absentee Vote Elegibility 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 the like 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 little, if anything, in the way of additional procedures, materials or staff training for early voting would be required. 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 at a time they can ill afford it, 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, it would make sense that early voting locations are open beyond normal business hours.
