In the past few years, early voting in the United States has been dramatically expanded, and 37 states now allow it in some form, such as absentee voting by mail or in-person voting at polls that are now open weeks before the traditional Election Day. And in seven U.S. states, you can even change your mind after voting early. In Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, it is technically possible to request a new ballot if you want to switch to a different candidate at the last minute. In fact, in Wisconsin you are allowed to recast your vote up to three times.
Vote early, vote often:
- The procedures for changing an early vote differ from state to state, and instructions are not always easy to find on state election websites.
- If you live in Colorado, Oregon, or Washington, you can only vote by mail. Traditional polling places no longer exist.
- According to the United States Elections Project, the number of people voting early in 2016 ranged from 81 percent in Colorado to only 5 percent in North Carolina.