THE ROAD IS NO EXCUSE
John Benning often finds himself away from home for long periods of time. Still, nothing keeps him from casting an absentee ballot in every election.
“I usually have a pretty strong opinion about who I want,” says Benning, an owner-operator from Flat Rock, N.C. “I don’t do anything else political because I don’t have time, but I always vote.”
Every state allows registered voters to cast ballots ahead of time if they meet certain conditions, one of which is working out of town on Election Day. Absentee voting can help truckers ensure that their career doesn’t limit their ability to participate fully in democracy.
Absentee voting requirements vary by state. The processes are usually managed by the secretary of state’s office, though some duties may be delegated to local registrars’ offices.
Truckers should have a special interest in voting, says Sam Reed, Washington’s secretary of state. “There are so many policy-makers now who don’t want to put more money into roads,” he says. “It really does affect truckers.”
Washington has sought to simplify the absentee process by allowing people to register for a permanent absentee ballot. Those voters are automatically mailed a ballot.
“I think this has been very helpful, and we’re encouraging other states to do so,” Reed says. “I know others are moving in that direction.”
As Congress considers changing voting laws following the controversial 2000 presidential election tabulation, the National Association of Secretaries of State is lobbying for more uniformity among states.
“A big part of federal election reform that is going on right now is that of advance voting,” says Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburg, who is also president of NASS.
While Americans are guaranteed the right to vote, he notes, they have no guarantee that they will be able to cast that vote before Election Day.
Thornburg believes that new developments, such as voting online, will make voting simpler. That could be a boon for truckers.
“I think the day is coming within the next couple of election cycles when we will see electronic voting,” he says.
ABSENTEE VOTING CONTACTS
Federal Election Commission
(800) 424-9530
www.fec.gov
Alabama
(800) 274-8683
www.sos.state.al.us/election/2002/2002vge.htm
Alaska
(907) 465-4611
www.gov.state.ak.us/ltgov/elections/abinfo.htm
Arizona
(602) 542-8683
www.sosaz.com
Arkansas
(501) 682-5070
www.sosweb.state.ar.us/absentee.html
California
(800) 345-VOTE (8683)
www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_m.htm
Colorado
(303) 894-2200
www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/ elections/main.htm
Connecticut
(860) 509-6100
www.sos.state.ct.us/ElectionsDivision/absentee.html
Delaware
(302) 739-4498
www.state.de.us/sos/sos.htm
District of Columbia
(202) 727-2525
www.dcboee.org/htmldocs/absentee.htm
Florida
(850) 245-6200
election.dos.state.fl.us
Georgia
(404) 656-2871
www.sos.state.ga.us/elections
Hawaii
(808) 453-8683
www.hawaii.gov
Idaho
(208) 334-2852
www.idsos.state.id.us/elect/voterreg/absentee.htm
Illinois
(217) 782-4141
www.elections.state.il.us
Indiana
(317) 232-3939
www.in.gov/sos/elections/voters
Iowa
(515) 281-5781
www.sos.state.ia.us
Kansas
(800) 262-8683
www.kssos.org/election/adv.html
Kentucky
(502) 573-7100
www.sos.state.ky.us
Louisiana
(225) 342-4970
www.sec.state.la.us
Maine
(207) 624-7650
www.state.me.us
Maryland
(410) 269-2840
www.elections.state.md.us
Massachusetts
(617) 727-2828
www.state.ma.us/sec/ele/eleifv/howabs.htm
Michigan
(517) 373-2540
www.michigan.gov/sos
Minnesota
(651) 296-2803
www.sos.state.mn.us/election/absentee.html
Mississippi
(601) 359-1350
www.sos.state.ms.us/elections/voterinfoguide.html
Missouri
(573) 751-2301
www.sos.state.mo.us/section4.asp
Montana
(406) 444-2034 or (888) 884-VOTE (8683)
sos.state.mt.us/css/elb/absentee_Ballot.asp
Nebraska
(402) 471-2554
www.sos.state.ne.us/Elections/election.htm
Nevada
(775) 328-3260
sos.state.nv.us/nvelection/faq.htm
New Hampshire
(603) 271-3242
www.state.nh.us/sos/electionsnew.htm
New Jersey
(609) 292-3760
www.state.nj.us/state
New Mexico
(505) 827-3600
web.state.nm.us/electnet.htm
New York
(518) 474-1953
www.elections.state.ny.us/voting/absentee.htm
North Carolina
(919) 733-7173
www.sboe.state.nc.us/voterweb/voter_ab.htm
North Dakota
(701) 328-4146 or (800) 352-0867, Ext. 8-4146
www.state.nd.us/sec//votingabsentee.htm
Ohio
(877) 767-6446
www.state.oh.us/sos/absentee.html
Oklahoma
(405) 521-2391
www.state.ok.us/~elections/absentee.html
Oregon
(503) 986-1518
bluebook.state.or.us/state/elections/elections01.htm
Pennsylvania
(717) 787-5280
www.dos.state.pa.us/DOS
Rhode Island
(401) 222-2340
www.elections.state.ri.us/mailvote.htm
South Carolina
(803) 734-9060
www.state.sc.us/scsec/absent.htm
South Dakota
(605) 773-3537
www.state.sd.us/sos/absentee.htm
Tennessee
(615) 741-7956
www.state.tn.us/sos/election.htm
Texas
(800) 252-VOTE (8683)
www.sos.state.tx.us/elections
Utah
(801) 538-1041
www.elections.utah.gov/absentee.htm
Vermont
(802) 828-2464
Vermont-elections.org
Virginia
(804) 786-6551
www.sbe.state.va.us/election/absente1.htm
Washington
(360) 902-4151
www.secstate.wa.gov
West Virginia
(866) 767-8683
www.wvsos.com/elections/voters/absentee.htm
Wisconsin
(608) 266-8005
elections.state.wi.us
Wyoming
(307) 777-7186
soswy.state.wy.us/election/vote.htm
