Huge Majority Of VA Residents Voted Early In 2020: Patch Survey

VIRGINIA — Voting early was the overwhelming choice among Virginia residents, with the in-person absentee option the most popular method for voting in this year's election, according to a survey of Patch readers.

Among the total of 895 responses received in Patch's 2020 election survey, 79.4 percent said they voted prior to Election Day. Within this group of voters, 44.4 percent voted early in person, 20 percent voted absentee and dropped off their ballot, and 14.8 percent voted absentee and mailed in their ballot.

According to the survey, only 20.6 percent of the respondents voted on Election Day.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, state legislators changed Virginia’s law to do away with needing a specific reason to vote absentee, whether in person or by mail. In-person absentee voting also started earlier than in previous elections and more in-person voting locations were added in jurisdictions across the state.

We opened our survey on voting to readers of our Virginia Patch sites at 2 p.m. Nov. 10 and closed it at 2 p.m. Nov. 11. Among the nearly 900 participants in the survey, more than 100 shared additional thoughts on their voting experience in the election. The survey is not meant to be a scientific poll but rather an informal way to gauge reader sentiment. The majority of our Virginia Patch sites are based in the Northern Virginia region.

The survey results offered a different picture from how voters indicated they would vote more than two months before the election. The number of people who ended up sending in their absentee ballots by mail in the election dropped considerably from earlier indications.

In an earlier Patch survey conducted in late August, 35.9 percent of the respondents said they planned to vote absentee by mail and 16.3 percent planned to vote absentee at an in-person location. Whether it was due to concerns about the U.S. Postal Service or another reason, the percentage of people who ended up voting early in person — 44.4 percent — was much higher than how residents indicated they would vote in late August.

For people who voted in person, whether on Election Day or before the election, 92.1 percent said the experience was free of problems such as long lines, malfunctioning equipment, or inadequate staffing at their polling place. Only 1 percent of the survey participants said things went poorly when they voted in person, while 6.9 percent said some things went well and other things went poorly when they voted in person.

A survey respondent who lives in Manassas said voting early in person was "amazingly simple," with reserved parking spaces for voters in a packed parking area.

"Posted signs were abundant showing exactly where to go," the respondent said. "Personnel were exceptionally helpful and non-biased. Well executed process."

Another voter who cast their ballot on Election Day was pleased with their experience at the Cameron Glen precinct in Fairfax County.

"This was the 11th presidential election in which I've voted and I've always loved the vibe of the day. The workers at Cameron Glen were professional and efficient," the survey respondent wrote. "They also thanked me for showing up to do my civic duty. I, in return, thanked them for being part of the day during a pandemic. It was an easy process and it was a thrill being part of the historical number of votes cast this year."

Among the people who voted in person prior to Election Day, a respondent was unhappy with the long lines at the Fairfax County Government Center.

"We waited 1 1/2 hours to vote at the Government Center a week before the election. How do people with small children or who have to be at work do that?" the person wrote. "We need to make it easier to vote, not harder. Invest in more voting machines and more polling places and this is true across the USA."

For absentee voters, 65.7 percent said they were able to track the progress of their ballot online. Among the survey participants, 22.3 percent said they did not know whether they were able to track the progress of your ballot online.

In terms of tracking their ballots, 52.1 percent of respondents said they received confirmation by Election Day that their ballot had been received.

For the voters who sent in their ballots by mail, 52.2 said the experience did not change their opinion of voting by mail, while 34.9 percent said they feel more confident now with the vote-by-mail system. The survey found that 12.9 percent of the respondents who voted absentee feel less confident about the vote-by-mail system.

A survey respondent said they missed the experience of voting in person on Election Day. "But no doubt that voting by mail was safer and faster," the person said. "I called the registrar’s office to be sure our ballots were received, and a gentleman there was very nice and confirmed. Even though it was an early time (September), I did not expect such service. In short, voting by mail is great!"

Asked to respond to the statement that voting by mail is safe, reliable and generally free of fraud, a total of 65.5 percent responded that they either somewhat agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, while a total of 26.2 percent said they somewhat disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement.

The survey found that 61.2 percent of respondents believe that voting by mail should be made easier in future elections.

In the comment section of the survey, a respondent said Virginia has an excellent system for requesting absentee ballots, one that should be adopted nationwide. "It requires submission of ID data (driver’s license number, last 4 of SSN) that precludes fraudulent requests and provides means of tracking ballot requests and submissions," the person wrote.

Another respondent said their absentee ballot was sent to the wrong address. "Whoever received it placed it in my door in plain view where it sat for six days," the person wrote in the survey. "Mail in voting and drop off ballots break the chain of integrity. You need ID for everything, except to vote. That’s ridiculous!"

On the issue of the safety and reliability of mail-in voting, a respondent said they answered “neither agree not disagree.”

"If I can be assured that my ballot would be counted, I would have used mail-in option in 2020 election," the person wrote.

Asked whether they have confidence that the results of the 2020 elections in Virginia were fair and accurate, 69.3 percent of respondents strongly agreed with the statement, while 6.4 percent somewhat agreed. Among the respondents, 10.7 percent said they strongly disagreed that the Virginia elections were fair and accurate and 6.4 percent somewhat disagreed.

A respondent said voting by mail, except for a bona fide absentee ballot, "is a disaster and should never be allowed again."

"There should be no early voting allowed unless there is a valid reason, e.g., out of town on voting day, etc.," the person wrote. "Voting should be in person, on election day and picture ID should be required in all 50 states — no exceptions. I have been voting since 1958 and 2020 overall was an embarrassment for the Country."

An Alexandria resident it took them about 15 minutes to vote early in person. "It's a shame you have to ask these questions about fairness and accuracy," the respondent said. "In any other election, they wouldn't be an issue. But Trump and his sycophants have made it one because he lost. If he'd won, they'd be as quiet as church mice."

Other comments made by survey respondents included:

• Election people take their job seriously. Some state rules are obstructionist, but the Trump allegations are just false, as most of his four years has been.
• Voting in Presidential years ALWAYS brings out higher turnout. The complaints about lines in Virginia were over the top. Virginia elections are well run and this nonsense about voter fraud has been studied by analysts and has found occurrences to be so small it's almost immeasurable, certainly not enough to make a difference in the outcome of the election.
• Due to the political climate my husband and I were somewhat anxious when we went to early vote. We are African Americans from NY, with NY plates and now live in a county that has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in the last election (as well as this one). Doesn't help that along our jogging route there is a business with a confederate flag in its logo. But the voting experience was as it should have been-uneventful. Once the site opened we were in and out within minutes. The poll workers were relaxed, friendly and knowledgeable. No issues to report!
• Lines were so long for voting in Fairfax County. In future elections, this process should be more efficient.
• I voted early and waited in line for 2.5 hours but that was to be expected due to small voting area, social distancing and high turnout.
• I think they should do voting early in person every year I think it helped make things go very smoothly.
• I had no issues at my voting location. No long lines, everything was in working order. I think the rules should go back to as they once were as far as early voting and mail-in voting. OR there needs to be a way these votes can be counted and tallied in a timely manner to be added to in person votes. This year's voting process, as far as getting results, across the country was ridiculous.
• I wouldn't trust voting by mail unless I could track it to make sure it was counted. I also don't think ballots should be mailed to a voter unless they ask for it and it should be postmarked before election day and counted either before or on election day.
• I liked voting early and do so for most elections. However, opening up more locations for early voting from the start would be an improvement and keep down the lines experienced by early voters at the at the Fairfax County Government Center. I do also like the length of time made available for early voting.
• Could not confirm that my ballot was received online. Online showed there was no record of me having registered. This is a flaw because how could I have received a ballot in the mail if I were not registered? However, called the election office and they confirmed having received my ballot and the date received.
• Was purged from the voter registration list after missing one vote. I registered again and was sent a ballot through the mail — a ballot I did not tequezt. So I went to vote and was met by hostile officals that scorned me for not sending in the ballot I never wanted. So this is a form of voter suppression since I had to rush my ballot out through the mail, since I did not trust the election volunteers. 2020 election was run as if we lived in a third world country. Voted for Biden or not, I don't consider him the president. Since the election is tainted.
• Early voting for me was a long slow 90 minute) line snaking through crowded overflow rooms. Otherwise it was great.
• I believe going forward our state, Virginia, should continue with mail-in ballot. It was convenient and easy to track.
• I was puzzled at the website that supposedly allowed you to check status of your ballot. When I tried on several occasions, the only option was to request a ballot. Since I'd received a ballot and returned it (in person), I was surprised that there was no way to check status as I had been told this was a feature of the web site.
• I voted early,the first day of early voting,and it was a remarkable experience. Arrived at 7:30 AM on September 18, 2020 at the registrar's office at 135 No. Royal Street and became the 12th person in line with social distancing in place. Soon after 8 AM I was admitted and checked in by a man whom I assume was a volunteer who checked my identification. He sat behind a plastic shield to protect us both. I was given a folder containing a ballot and a pen and was told to place the ballot in the machine and keep the folder and pen to keep everyone safe. When I finished voting someone wiped down the booth table where I voted. It was quiet, orderly and considerate.
• I voted early in person at the Stafford Airport and fully expected to be waiting in a line for a few hours. To my pleasant surprise I must have chosen the perfect time as I had two people in front of me standing in the hallway waiting to be called into the voting room. Everyone was calm, very efficient and friendly. I was in and out of there in less than 10 minutes.
• All parties benefit by having extended voting periods — whether absentee, mail-in, early voting. Nearly 150M people voted this year. There is fighting over the results, but having that many people participate is good for our country.