The 2024 general election will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 5. All registered voters are encouraged to participate.
College students can vote in either their hometown or their college town. Students that are not native to Abilene may have a mail-in ballot sent directly to their college address. This absentee ballot allows you to vote without being present.
Today, the most common forms of voting are by in person and absentee ballots. All Americans have not always had the privilege of voting, but today for the most part, we do. Voting impacts the future of our country and is a basic civil and patriotic responsibility.
There are 19 available registered voting locations in and around Abilene. Some locations include Abilene City Hall, Thomas Elementary School and Taylor County Plaza.
Voting is a privilege that has developed over time. The original Constitution did not define voting rights for citizens. For example, women in America did not receive the right to vote until the passage of the 19th Amendment on August 26th,1920. It was not until the Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, that voting rights for all adult citizens, including those of color, were secured. Provisions of the act had to be extended by Congress in 1970, 1975, 1982 and in 2007 for 25 years.
The first 50 years of voting in the United States was known as voice voting. Eligible voters would gather together and publicly cast their vote in their local courthouses. Before voting, they took oaths on the Bible that they had not previously voted and were registered under their correct legal name.
In the early 19th century, the first paper ballots were introduced. Voters would write down their selected candidates name on a sheet of paper. The paper was collected in a box for future tallying.
In the mid 19th century, party tickets were instituted. Political parties sent voters tickets listing only their candidates. Voters were allowed to use this ticket as their official ballot.
A new type of ballot called the “Australian” ballot became popular in the second half of the 19th century. The ballot was printed with all candidates from all parties and allowed for a secret and unbiased vote.
The next voting mechanism was the voting machine. People voted with the flip of a lever labeled with a candidate name. Voters would flip their candidates switch in order to vote for them. This technology made voting easier, but it has proven to be faulty. The machines were known to malfunction and miscount votes.
In the 1960s, punch cards were a popular way to vote. “Chads” were created by punching a hole in the card to place your vote. Often the hole did not completely punch through (dimpled chad) or didn’t fully disconnect (hanging chad). Each card had to be hand counted. This method introduced same day voting results.
Today, scannable paper ballots are used. Voters fill in the shape next to the candidate’s name and results are tallied the same day. The right to vote has been a long and arduous journey. Do your part by participating in this hard-fought keystone of democracy by voting.
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