Early Voting in 2016 for the Presidential Election varies by state, with different rules, timelines and locations for voters.  Voting for the President of the United States is something that many people hold sacred, citing their right to directly participate in government elections.  While votes are counted, and a Popular Vote Total will be announced, it’s actually the electoral college that holds the power to elect the next President.  If the electoral college determines who will win the election, then why does it matter if you Vote Early in 2016 – or at all?

Voting Early for President may actually have more influence over the outcome of the election than casting a ballot on November 8th.  Early Voting results are tallied in advance of the election, and help to give members of the electoral college an idea of which candidate is likely to receive the majority of the popular vote within a state.  In 2008 over 30% of the total vote was cast via early voting, and that figure is predicted to rise significantly in 2016.

In the past, the majority of early voters were campaign workers, poll workers, those with travel plans or extenuating circumstances that would prevent them from being able to vote on Election Day. “No Excuse” early voting now allows most citizens to vote for President 4 to 50 days prior to election day.  In 2016, 50 days before election day is Monday, September 19th, but check with your local election official for details within your state.

You can vote for President early in most places even if you are able to vote on election day. This no-excuse early voting is suitable and more convenient for most people for several reasons.

You can participate in early voting by casting your ballot in person at designated election polling locations within your county.  The actual process is the same as voting on Election Day, which varies by state, and even county in some cases.

Our site offers the largest Presidential Poll online – with over 100,000 votes already counted!  Before you participate in early voting, you should vote online for who you want to win the 2016 election and share this poll with friends to help it grow even more!  Unlike the actual election for President of the United States, our poll counts all votes evenly – we can’t wait to announce the winner in November!