Honor the absentee vote
For some of us, few things are as satisfying as flexing our American citizenship muscles. And when it comes to that, watching a completed ballot slip into the ballot box while an election worker announces that so-and-so has voted is about as good as it gets.
But we also understand that voting in person on election day can be inconvenient or, in some cases, impossible. That's why we ardently support absentee voting as an honorable and effective option.
Critics continue to claim that voting absentee by mail leaves the door open for fraud. No system is perfect; not even voting in person. Just ask anybody who has lived in Chicago, where the number of corpses casting votes for a certain mayor is the stuff of legend.
Absentee voting, particularly by mail, offers a convenience with broad appeal to some voters. For one, those under exceedingly tight financial restraints don't need to drive or beg a ride on election day. Nor do those who suffer physically need to worry about standing in line; a likelihood in some local precincts during a presidential election. And if Mother Nature happens to be throwing a hissy fit on Nov. 6, voting early by mail neutralizes the wrath of her bad moods.
There are other considerations. What if a person is going to be gone on Nov. 6? Should he or she be denied the right to vote? Also, we have heard from voters who say they're much more comfortable voting at home, where there is plenty of time to look over the ballot, research candidates or issues with which they're not overly familiar, and avoid any stress from seeing lines of voters waiting to take your spot in a tiny booth.
We look forward to arriving at the polls on Nov. 6 and exercising our constitutional right to have a say in elected leadership. We also confess to feeling proud wearing the "I voted" sticker that day.
But for anybody who chooses the absentee alternative, have at it. Call 446-1030 for more information or request your absentee ballot by going to: www.kcgov.us/elections/AbsenteeBallotApplication.pdf