We accept a degree of friction for other constitutional entitlements.

Buying a gun, free speech, right to assembly. Each with caveats.

Appearing in front of your fellow citizens as a breathing person is central to how voting has worked for hundreds of years.

Why change it?

I agree it should be paid day off.

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cowlevel a day ago | parent | next [-]

I don't think people who want to exercise their first or second amendment right accept friction over it. In fact it seems to me that's been one major source of political unrest.

But those same people who don't want their first and second amendment rights to be infringed are okay with voting having high friction so a lot of people can't do it.

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lokar 20 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Any friction must be weighed against the harm it seeks to prevent.

There simply is no meaningful intentional voter fraud in the US.

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barelysapient 7 hours ago | parent [-]

I agree. But I also like the ceremony.

In an even more online and disconnected world, it forces us out of our homes to stand with our neighbors in an exercise of our power.

There's a beauty to this that, when a large amount of voting is done over mail, I feel is lost.

	▲	lokar 5 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I personally would prefer in person on a national holiday with civic groups (eg Boy Scouts) selling hotdogs.

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stonogo 19 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

When you say "why change it" are you not aware that many US states vote by mail (and/or ballot drop boxes) and have for decades? Or are you ignoring it?

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barelysapient 7 hours ago | parent [-]

Yes I'm aware. By change it I mean the gradual shift from in person to mailed ballets. This is shift toward isolation. Bubble preservation.

Standing inline with your neighbors to exercise our vote is empowering. It reminds us of our status as voters. As equals. It crosses boundaries. It's beautiful.

Sure there's cases where appearing in person isn't practical and I'm not suggesting we close the door to that. But I think it should be needs based.

	▲	stonogo 5 hours ago \| parent [-]
		I appreciate the vibe you're going for, but standing in line with your neighbors is also a massive time sink that directly costs people money via lost wages. Making drop-box voting needs-based just places democratic participation in the hands of those who determine who 'needs' and why. A democracy is only as real as its citizens' access to ballots.