But not all pro-lifers need to wait until Election Day to vote. Many states offer voters the option to cast
their ballots when it's convenient for them, through absentee ballots, early voting, or even through the mail.

Voting regulations vary from state to state. For details, contact your
state or county Board of Elections by phone or visit the board's web site.
The Internet is also a convenient place to find voter registration forms,
absentee ballot applications, and specific details about where and how to
vote. A useful clearinghouse for election information can be found at
www.nrlpac.org.

Every state offers absentee voting. Some require a specific reason for
voters to be allowed to vote absentee, such as being out of town on Election
Day or in a hospital or nursing home. Voters need to first request an
absentee ballot and then turn it back in by fax or mail or in person. Check
your local voter registration office and regulations for information.

Early voting is a recent development in elections. In Florida, all registered voters can cast their ballots beginning 15 days before the election at sites designated by each county’s election board. These sites can include election supervisors’ offices, City Halls, and public libraries.  

Floridians can also request an absentee ballot to be sent by mail, which they then send back after marking their choices. They do not need the ballots to be signed by witnesses, which had been the requirement in the past.  

“I think both types of early voting help to get more people to the polls,” Robin Hoffman, president of Florida Right to Life, told NRL News. “Sometimes a group will get together, have everyone bring absentee ballots, and have a party. It’s another way to encourage people to vote.”  

The hurricane season has caused problems for pro-lifers, but it also shows the advantages of having a longer time for voting. “We lost power in our offices for a week, so it’s been challenging,” Hoffman said. “But we hope pro-lifers will vote as soon as they can, since you never know what the weather’s going to be on Election Day!”

Georgia voters can choose to cast their ballots on Monday to Friday the week before November 2 in their county voter registration office. Voters do not need to have a reason to take advantage of the extended voting period.

Other states that allow voters to cast their ballots in person before
Election Day, without needing a reason, include Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee,
Texas, Vermont, and West Virginia.

Oregon is the only state that conducts elections by mail, sending a
voting packet to each registered voter. The ballots will be mailed between
October 15 and 19 to all voters registered by October 12. Voters mail back
their ballots before Election Day or turn them in at a designated drop-off
site.

No matter how the ballots are cast, pro-lifers need to make sure each and
every friend of the unborn casts a vote for life in the 2004 election. In
addition to education about the positions of each candidate, right to lifers
should educate voters about their state's election procedures so that each
pro-life vote is counted