Drive-thru voting

Drive-thru voting

Drive-Thru Voting describes the method of voting in an election whereby completed ballot papers submitted by placing them in a drop-box. Drive-thru voting is an alternative to having voters go in person to a polling station, vote electronically via an electronic voting system, and postal voting. Despite the title "Drive-Thru Voting", the act can be accomplished on foot, but is most commonly practiced from a vehicle.

The drive-thru method is supported for its convenience compared to traditional voting methods. It can also be used to offer expanded hours for voting as a box can be made available 24 hours a day. This method of voting is available to voters on a limited basis including in El Dorado County, California, for the 2008 election year where more than 500 voters have utilized the drop boxes.[1]

Drawbacks

Concerns about voting in a box and postal voting have been raised. The system has less protection to ensure a secret ballot, in that people cast their vote outside the security of a polling station. In addition the boxes could be tampered with or vandalized, if left unmonitored.

Drive-Thru voting can be a way to prevent manipulation of an election through get out the vote efforts, for instance, in state conventions of a society, in which supporters of a cause or candidate bus in their supporters to vote and then bus them back.

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