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Early voting may not be best option for Ohio

Pre-election day voting is now available to Ohioans, along with residents in 30 other states nationwide. This marks the first presidential race where it is no longer necessary to provide an excuse to go to the polls early on Tuesday, Sept. 30 the doors opened for Ohio voters who wished to cast their ballots early. While this new process may attract a larger number of voters who wouldn't have otherwise participated in this election, a majority of The Miami Student editorial board argues that early voting could lead to an uninformed choice due to the lack of information and knowledge that could be acquired in the month leading up to Nov. 4.

As the financial crisis continues to linger and Congress attempts to agree on a comprehensive bailout plan, the economy is still on the brink of disaster. Decisions and actions made in the next month could have multiple repercussions and effects on voters' lives. As the economy rides a bumpy roller coast, there is always room for an October surprise. No one can predict what will happen during the next 32 days.

Not only does early voting dismiss the notion that one may decide to change their opinion, it also neglects the importance of the presidential and vice presidential debates. The presidential debates will not be over until Oct. 15. Those voting before the conclusion of the debates fail to recognize the potential benefits in listening to the candidate's platforms on critical issues.

Early voting can also be a manipulative tactic to garner support for specific candidates. Locking in a voter's decisions now may put both campaigns at ease, allowing them to target different demographics.

While we are not in favor of early voting, we recognize this system helps people with a strict work schedule. However, instead of opening the polls a month early, there are alternatives. Pre-election day voting beginning a week before Nov. 4 would still allow those in the workplace to plan their schedules accordingly. Thus, by that time, the debates are over and voters have more information on their chosen candidate. Creating a national holiday for the election would also eliminate time restraints and job hours.

Allowing voters to cast their ballots a month early may result in an uniformed decision that is ultimately irreversible. A shorter time period for early voting or a national Election Day holiday would be a better option than allowing voters to decide their next president five weeks in advance.