The Wall Street Journal-20080205-Campaign -08- Early Voting Could Thwart Candidates- Late Efforts

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Campaign '08: Early Voting Could Thwart Candidates' Late Efforts

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The presidential candidates campaigned hard to sway voters up to the last minute, but early voting in a third of the 24 states with contests today could blunt those efforts.

In California, by far the biggest prize up for grabs today, four million people have signed up to get early ballots for every election as part of a state system to make voting easier. The presidential campaigns have been urging voters to make sure they return the early ballots.

An estimated two million voters cast ballots more than nine days ago, said Stephen Weir, the vice president of the California Association of Clerks and Election Officials. At that time, John Edwards and Rudy Giuliani were still in their races, and Florida voters hadn't yet gone to the polls.

Perhaps one of the most profound effects of the increased early voting in California is that the winner may not be declared on election night, with two million ballots likely to be left uncounted until tomorrow, Mr. Weir said.

Other states cut off the time early voters have to mail in their ballots so they aren't so close to the actual Election Day, further limiting late factors that can affect voters in a fast-moving primary contest.

Early voting, which can be by mail or at designated locations, has been adopted across the country in the past decade, said Tim Storey, a senior fellow with the National Conference of State Legislatures. It is also easier for voters and therefore increases turnout.

"Voters are demanding it," he said. "I think in large measure it's driven by the practicality."

The practice allows states to reduce the complexity of Election Day, when in some cases more than a million poll workers are required and each must be trained in election laws.

The phenomenon has spread to 23 states. Of those with primaries today, California, Arizona, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Tennessee and Utah all had votes cast before today. The practice is also used in New Mexico, which is holding a caucus tonight.