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View Full Version : Voting while in labor?



smcdonald2
05-24-2010, 06:40 PM
I realize this is a bit premature (no pun intended), but I am due 11/13/2010. Suppose I am in the hospital, giving birth a bit early on election day...how do I vote? Do hospitals offer absentee ballots? Do I need to try to vote early on the excuse that I MIGHT be incapacitated? What to do?

swissair81
05-24-2010, 08:09 PM
I think you have to register for an absentee ballot ahead of time. I was due the very end of October with my last baby. I wasn't sure whether I'd be up and around yet by election day. I ended up giving birth 8 days early & it was fine. It was good, because I totally forgot to register for an absentee ballot.

LMPC
05-24-2010, 08:10 PM
In my state (NC) you don't need any excuse to have an absentee ballot. I would just check with your state's regulations. I can't imagine that you won't be able to get an absentee ballot given your due date!

BTW, way to be a responsible citizen :thumbsup:

And good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!

wellyes
05-24-2010, 08:37 PM
Whooo citizenship!! Good for you!!
I agree with the PPs about the absentee ballot thing.

fumofu
05-24-2010, 08:37 PM
We're in California and you'll need to register for an absentee ballot ahead of time. It was so convenient, I permanently registered myself for send-by-mail ballot.

salsah
05-25-2010, 12:12 AM
i would request an absentee/vote by mail ballot so that you can send it in early.

pharmjenn
05-25-2010, 07:23 AM
We're in California and you'll need to register for an absentee ballot ahead of time. It was so convenient, I permanently registered myself for send-by-mail ballot.

Me too. I have been permanent absentee voting for over 10years now, even though I now work a more convenient schedule for getting to the polls. Last year we even carried our ballots to the polling place, because it was at a fire station and DS could see the engines.

pb&j
05-25-2010, 08:57 AM
I was due in Nov 2008 - I requested and completed my absentee ballot early. In my state, you need a reason to vote absentee, and pregnancy is an accepted reason.

PearlsMom
05-25-2010, 12:00 PM
In Virginia, you could just go and vote early (absentee) a few weeks before the election -- I did this when I was in college out of state and might not be around on Election Day. I don't remember having to provide any reason for early voting, but that may have changed.

luckytwenty
05-25-2010, 12:11 PM
I will have a newborn on Election Day and will be doing absentee ballot as well, so I don't have to drag a brand new baby into a germ-filled library to stand among lots of people! Thanks for the reminder--I'll be sure to get mine early.

Andi98989
05-25-2010, 12:37 PM
In Michigan there are 6 reasons for getting an absentee ballot; I would go with the "I expect to be absent from the community in which I am registered" reason

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/AbsentVoterBallot_105377_7.pdf

It also says "Requests to have an absentee voter ballot mailed to you must be received by your clerk no later than 2 p.m. the Saturday before the election."

There are provisions for an emergency absentee ballot:
If an emergency, such as a sudden illness or family death prevents you from reaching the polls on election day, you may request an emergency absentee voter ballot. Requests for an emergency ballot must be submitted after the deadline for regular absentee voter ballots has passed but before 4 p.m. on election day. The emergency must have occurred at a time which made it impossible for you to apply for a regular absentee voter ballot. Your local clerk will have more information about emergency absentee voter ballots.

I would just get an absentee one