VanC said:
This is the first year early voting has been allowed in Illinois, but there has always been absentee voting allowed. What's the difference? Beats me, and I'm too lazy to find out right now. The turnout so far has been good, and the county clerks seem to like it. They say it takes a little of the pressure off on Election Day.
I voted absentee back in '96 when I knew we were going to be out of town, but otherwise I've always voted on Election Day, and I will again this year. Election Day has always seemed special to me.
It's special to me, too. I remember my dad coming in from work, getting cleaned up and he and momma would go vote. That was important at our house. Sometimes they even ate out after they voted! Without the kids! I'd rather do that than absentee, but we may not be here, so I don't want to take a chance.
When they started early voting here several years ago, you could go to the elections office at the court house, sign the voter sheet, and vote at a regular voting machine. As far as I know that's the only place in this county that early voting is allowed. We did that one year, too, but I'd rather go to the same polling place momma and daddy went on election day. Somehow it's more satisfying.
For what it's worth, elections in Oregon are vote by mail.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40032-2004Dec31.html