In the past few weeks we've written (and written) about the obvious discrepancy in voter enthusiasm between the "R's" and "D's" in 2010, so we've got to give it up to Progressive Florida as it tries to find an original niche to inspire Democrats to go to the polls.
The plan? Don't have them go to the polls, but instead request an absentee ballot now and then mail it off (Because of course it's so inconvenient to participate in democracy!).
Progress Florida has set up a website called VotingAtHome.com, where perspective voters can easily request an absentee ballot, which local supervisors of election have already begun sending out upon request
The website makes it convenient to find one's own local county, where a request form for an absentee ballot is easily accessible.
Back in the old days, such as earlier in the past decade, one had to have a good reason to get an absentee ballot, and they used to be considered the province of mostly conservative voters. Now, its part of a trend nationwide to have more people vote in ways other than at the polls on election day.
As has been often reported, in Florida's primary election last month, there as many people who voted early – either via absentee or through early voting (which this year will begin October 18)- as they did on the actual election day.
Speaking of getting Democrats turned on at the polls, Barack Obama intends to do that later today in Madison, Wisconsin. The NY Times reports that Obama will be headed out to rallies over the next few weeks in places where early voting is happening, a strategy employed in 2008 (Obama you might recall appeared in a memorable rally at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa at the beginning of early voting at the polls 15 days before the general election two years ago, a rally where he was introduced by Tampa Bay Rays pitcher David Price, less than 12 hours after Price and the Rays had beat the Boston Red Sox and earned the right to go to the World Series).
This article appears in Sep 23-29, 2010.