According to an April Pew Research Center study, Democrats are much more likely than Republicans to say a voter should be allowed to vote early or absentee for any reason. Fifty-seven percent of Republicans said “any voter should have the option to vote early or without absentee without having to document a reason,” compared to 83% of Democrat voters and 63% of all voters. Thirty-eight percent of Republicans said “a voter should only be allowed to vote early or absentee if they have a documented reason for not voting in person on Election Day,” compared to just 16% of Democrats and 36% of all voters.
GOP opposition has been growing: in Oct. 2018, 57% of them said voters should be able to vote early or absentee without any reason. The 2020 “stolen election” narrative has turned Republicans against no-excuse early and absentee voting, producing a 19-point decline since fall 2018. What does this mean for the future? As more voters opt for early and absentee voting, Republicans must adjust, adapt and start getting their early vote out, not just those traditionally voting on Election Day.
