There's no excuse not to vote anymore

I've been voting as a permanent absentee for several years now. I rarely miss an election.

When I registered to vote in King County several years ago, I opted to have a ballot mailed to me in advance of each election, rather than trying to get to the polls. King County encourages this. There is no requirement that a voter actually be absent on election day; they simply offer the option. In fact, during the 2004-11 election, 70% of ballots cast were absentee.

But now they are expanding the program. While voters can vote in person if they want, that should be a small number of people.

It should make it a lot easier for the county to administer the election. After the debacle of the WA governor's race in 2004, they need to do something. This way they don't need as many poll workers, and it should be easier to collect and organize ballots. While printing, postage, and new equipment may mean that the election is no cheaper, it should at least be cleaner operationally.

I would like to think this will increase voter turn out, as well. If voters don't even need to leave the couch to vote, they can't argue that it's too much trouble. Fill out the circles and drop the thing in the mail with your power bill. It can't get much simpler.

I have little patience for eligible voters who don't vote but then complain about the results. Voting a blank ballot or one with a write in candidate is much more credible if someone can't stand any of the options.

Now there are even fewer excuses to shirk this most basic responsibility.