by Julie Gowel ·
Friday, October 18, 2024
Some Harvard residents may cringe at the thought of crowds and lines, so the office of the town clerk is inviting those folks (along with other early birds) to cast their votes for the 2024 general election, in person and early.
Town Hall will be open on the following days and times for registered voters to cast their ballots ahead of the Nov. 5 general election:
- Saturday, Oct. 19: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Monday, Oct. 21, to Thursday, Oct. 24: 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 26: 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
- Monday, Oct. 28, to Thursday, Oct. 31: 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Head to the second floor of 13 Ayer Road to exercise your fairly new right to vote early.
The ability to vote early in the United States dates back to the Civil War, when soldiers were allowed to cast absentee ballots from the battlefield. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that early voting was expanded to include civilians. In 1988, Texas became the first state to allow registered voters to vote early in the general election to reduce congestion at polling stations on election day.
By 2000, 24 states offered in-person early voting, without need for an excuse. The COVID-19 pandemic, which was in full-swing during the 2020 election, made early voting and voting by mail far more popular and available across the country.
Massachusetts did not offer early voting until 2016, and even then it was only “with reason.” In 2020, the state expanded voting options significantly and removed the requirement to provide an excuse to vote early. According to the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, this is the first general election in which residents of the state will be allowed to vote early, in person, without needing to justify their decision.
According to the Center for Election Innovation and Research, a nonprofit organization that seeks to “restore trust in the American election system and promote election procedures that encourage greater voter participation while ensuring election integrity and security,” the ability to vote early has expanded exponentially since 2000.
At the turn of the 21st century, 24 states had early voting options for their residents. Those states accounted for approximately 40% of the voter population in the U.S. This year, 47 states are offering early voting, meaning that 97% of voters have the opportunity to skip the lines on election day.
If you’d rather take the opportunity to vote with your friends and neighbors, head to the Hildreth Elementary School gymnasium on Nov. 5 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.