The Perils of Early Voting [OPINION]
So the mainstream media scared the bejeezus out of you about COVID-19, and rather than risk contracting cooties in some church basement, you decided to try this early voting thing. And now you regret your decision. You want your vote back. You are not alone.
According to the New York Post and other sources, Google searches for "change my vote" have spiked since allegations of potential wrongdoing by members of the Biden family have gotten more attention. Though there may be plenty of reasons to be concerned about Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's involvement in all of that, this piece is about the perils of early voting and not about criminal wrongdoing.
Many folks – millions of them, actually – thought casting their ballot in advance was a good idea. There are no lines, no hassles, and no cootie bugs to contend with. But the problem with early voting is that anything can happen between the time you mail it in and election day.
We have heard story after story about ballots turning up in trash cans or not arriving in time. That's your vote. You only get one. Why would you want to risk your vote not making it to the ballot box in time to be counted? I certainly would not.
But there is also this thing called voter remorse. You vote early, and then the inevitable "October surprise" arrives, and you wish you had your vote back. Except for seven, perhaps eight states, there is no do-over. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are among the majority of states that do not allow you to recall your vote if you have changed your mind about your candidate.
Voting in person on election day is the closest thing to guaranteeing your ballot arrives on time and is counted. It also reduces the risk of voter remorse.
Besides, it feels great to vote in person and to be a part of the magic that is election day in America.
Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.