I’d suspect the polling place wasn’t moved to inconvenience you. I’ve voted in schools before but many schools can no longer be the voting place because of security concerns. They can’t have unvetted individuals in the buildings when children are there. The precinct may have grown too big for the parking lots (elementary schools don’t have a lot of parking, and the teachers are using it). The state found a cheaper alternative.
I used to vote at a fire station. Precinct got too big and it was too dangerous to have us all parking at the fire house and the trucks trying to get in and out all day. Also we were in an area where a new congressional district required re-districting, so those of us assigned to Dist. 1 were moved to polling places in that district and others (who lived just as close to the old fire station voting place) were moved farther out to the new Dist 7. I don’t think anyone remained in our old Dist 6 so that old polling place would have changed anyway. When did I learn of this? At about 6 pm on election day. MY error. They’d sent new cards, I just didn’t look at them as I assumed I’d be voting at the same place. I ran home, found the voting card, and then had to find the new polling place.
That was all about 20 years ago. Now the state has totally changed it all. There are fewer voting places, and they aren’t in schools but in community rec centers or other places where they can be open for several weeks and not just on election day. Many more people vote by mail (and there are drop boxes at all these voting centers too).
Things change. It is not all a big conspiracy.
Bingo! our polling place has changed frequently since it has become more difficult to obtain ‘volunteers’ to staff it.
Probably bcos more and more people vote by mail (as noted above) and as the need shrinks, so does the # of polling places needed.
^^ I want to agree that the polling location (after 20+ years of being in the same place) “wasn’t moved to inconvenience” - except that after that one very important local and state election, was moved back to the place it had been, and has remained there…our local elementary school.
Is there a right to vote by absentee ballot?
Actually, it’s a civil rights thingy. Take a look at the U.S. Constitution.
Yes, states administer their own elections, but that does not mean that they can administer them in such a way as to deprive citizens of their right to vote. And that’s where absentee voting comes in. All states allow it, although the rules vary from state to state. But that does not mean that they can administer the absentee ballot system in a way that discriminates. Am I suggesting that what happened in my town was the result of an intent to prevent a certain segment of the population from voting? Of course not. But if it had that effect, that’s potentially a problem - regardless of whether the vote was for President or town dog catcher!
Then there is no issue here.
Perhaps its the college that your kid attends that is at fault, here. (If one is looking for conspiracy theories.)
Don’t forget that colleges have different winter/spring breaks…how is your local Registrar supposed to know/care which of the 3,000 colleges is on break and who is not so the Registrar can mail accordingly?
^I think the issue is that the ballots were mailed out with adequate time for return. The system shouldn’t be built on the premise that a voter needs to mail them back the very day they receive them in order to get them back by the deadline. The OP said the town clerk admitted there was a screw up. I doubt it will get resolved for this election date but the OP or her son should complain to ensure things get fixed. If nobody complains, things usually don’t change.
^^Sure, but then fire/recall the town clerk for inompetence.
Not really. The OP appears to be claiming/inferring its a nefarious plot to keep college kids who attend college OOS AND who happen to have break this week from completing an absentee ballot in his/her home town.
" The OP appears to be claiming/inferring its a nefarious plot to keep college kids who attend college OOS"
@bluebayou You seem to be putting words in the OP’s mouth. In post #43, right about your previous post, OP stated, “Am I suggesting that what happened in my town was the result of an intent to prevent a certain segment of the population from voting? Of course not.”
So, what’s your ax here?
Okay, OP here, not claiming anything of the kind. I’ll repeat: (1) the town screwed up and (2) rather than just sitting on their hands, they should try to find a way to fix things, so this election’s absentee voters aren’t shut out of voting. Why? Because it’s the right thing to do.