During the past decade the United States has seen an increase in alternative forms
to Election Day voting, including voting by mail. Voting by mail has spurred a
number of studies concerning the effects it has on voter turnout and other aspects
of voting. However, one important facet of voting by mail has not been examined—when
people decide to send in their vote. Because ballots are mailed out weeks before the
election, voting by mail creates, in effect, a rolling Election Day. This could have
profound effects for campaigns as candidates must determine when to use campaign
resources and campaign to an electorate who might have already voted. Using data
from the 2008 general election in Washington State, this study examines when voters
turned in their ballots and determines if age, partisanship, or other factors play a
role in the timing of turning in a ballot.