密歇根新闻广播 美国27个州都同意了缺席投票 异地投票轻松搞定

It's like November in September as absentee ballots² in Michigan are in the mail and, for some, voting has already begun.

If history is any guide, about a quarter of Michigan voters will vote using an absentee ballot¹, even though some will probably lie to do it because not everyone can legally cast an absentee ballot in Michigan.

You are allowed to vote absentee in Michigan if you're 60 years old or older, unable to vote without someone's help, in jail awaiting trial, a poll worker at a different precinct than your own on election day, if you're going to be out of town, or because of a religious obligation.

Otherwise, you have to show up at the polls on Election Day.

It's Just Politics with Zoe Clark and Rick Pluta

Now, we know, as absentee voting becomes more popular, some people simply make up a reason. So why not change the law?

Other states have made absentee voting easier. Three states conduct their entire elections with mail-in or drop-off ballots. It's called "convenience balloting³." In Michigan, it's called no-reason absentee voting. An absentee ballot for any registered voter who wants one.

Democrats⁴ here in Michigan are all for this idea. They are all about making voting easier because Dems typically do better when turnout is higher.

Republicans, meantime, have favored more restrictive voting rules. But some Rs are coming on board including Governor Rick Snyder, Secretary of State Ruth Johnson and State Representative Lisa Lyons. Lyons chairs the state House Elections Committee and says there's no reason not to allow no-reason absentee voting.

"Providing voters with the ability to vote absentee without having to provide a reason isn't pro-Republican. It's not pro-Democrat. That's a pro-voter and as more and more of our voters are casting ballots via absentee that makes them not have to lie if they don't fall within those six reasons for absentee voting. It just makes good common sense," Lyons explains.

But there's still a critical mass of Republicans who say ‘not yet.' Count Republican state Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof among them. He says more absentee voting could lead to more cheating. "It has to be secure. That's the biggest part that Senate Republicans are worried about."

What it would take to make it more secure, we don't know.

But, even with Michigan's conditional⁵ absentee voting, we know it will be decisive. Like we mentioned, roughly one in four votes cast in Michigan will probably be absentee.

The absentee voter will be a big deal. And the campaigns know that. So they will keep track of who requests an absentee ballot (that's a public record).

Those voters will get mailings, maybe a phone call, maybe someone knocking on their door.

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 balloting   

v.（使）投票表决( ballot的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Clark took a commanding leading in the early balloting. 在最初投票时，克拉克遥遥领先。 来自辞典例句
• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 conditional   

adj.条件的，带有条件的

参考例句：

• My agreement is conditional on your help.你肯帮助我才同意。
• There are two forms of most-favored-nation treatment:conditional and unconditional.最惠国待遇有两种形式:有条件的和无条件的。