No Stupid Questions

Early voting in the US as we know it today, meaning going to a polling place to cast your vote in-person prior to election day, started in Texas in 1987 and spread to other states from there. Every state has its own specific rules regarding how long the early voting period lasts, and other aspects like how long polling places are open each day may even be left up to local governments.

Where I'm at in Texas, we have some early voting locations that stay open until 10pm, even on weekends. I've never had to wait more than 20 minutes to vote (and usually less) since I started voting in the 2000 election. We have 12 days to vote before election day, and even a website with real-time updates on wait times at each polling place across the county.

The drawback is there are fewer voting sites open during early voting, so people with transportation barriers will have to expend effort to get there, but you can do so on whatever day works for your schedule. On election day itself, way more polling sites are open, so there's likely to be a site within walking distance or a short drive in denser areas, but lines are much longer than during the early voting period, and many people have to work because it's a Tuesday and not a holiday

Also, Mississippi, Alabama, and New Hampshire have no early voting and pretty much require everyone in the entire state to vote on election day.

Historically, all regular voting was done in-person on election day and mail-in ballots were a special exception (e.g., for people with disabilities). It’s only in the last few election cycles that voting by mail became the norm, and most people still use the pre-existing terminology.

Same reason morning is earlier in the day than night. This is just how linear time works.

The only difference is to spread out the opportunity so everyone can vote. No vote is counted until Election Day, so this is no different than mailing in a vote early to make sure it gets in on time.

The difference is that before, lines were lo g and some employees weren’t free to go voting during the work day (voting happens on Tuesday).

You could either get there very very early or late…or lose a paid day…or be fired.

Early voting allows for more people to cast their votes, even if it’s not at their precincts, and curves vote suppression on the day of the election.

I'm German and as soon as I get the vote notification I immediately request the mail in papers, which I also send out pretty much the next time I go outside (assuming I already decided, we have a bit more of a choice than just 1-2 parties). That's usually a month before the actual end date. I never understood why people are always so stressed with going through potential wait times at some location further away to vote, when it can be this easy.

If you look at the meaning of the word "early" there are several senses.

• One sense is "At a time in advance of the usual or expected event." e.g. if someone suffered an "early death." Another sense of the word is "Arriving a time before expected; sooner than on time." e.g. "you arrived early today!" You're right that in these two senses of the word, "early voting" sounds weird.
• But there's another sense of the word early: "Near the start or beginning." e.g. "Shakespeare's early works". There's also "Near the start of the day." as in "It's too early for this sort of thing. I'm not awake yet." Another sense is "Having begun to occur; in its early stages." e.g. "an early cancer". In these senses of the word, "early voting" sounds a lot better.
• For more info see: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/early

Ð US doesn't have a recognized start and end of voting like oðer countries do, we have a designated single day of ð election, and casting ð ballot before ðat is considered early voting because it isn't a uniform official procedure across ð states ð way election day itself is.

Surely some questions are stupid, right? Jk op your question made m laugh