by Ned Ryun
So it’s important to not be over-exuberant; Trump is absolutely riding high right now, from the debacle of a debate for Biden to Judge Cannon dismissing the Jack Smith documents case to surviving an assassination attempt. But the right needs to focus on what takes place between now and November 5th, specifically on how every Republican and conservative can help Trump win by doing one simple thing: casting your ballot early.
While many still think of voting as a November-centric event, that is simply not true. It’s now election season in US politics and while the news cycle is pushing that from the forefront of people’s minds, that season is almost upon us, with ballots dropping and early in-person voting starting in many states by September. In North Carolina, voters will start receiving their ballots on September 6th. About ten days after that, early in-person voting starts in Pennsylvania, and five days after Pennsylvania, Virginia ballots drop and early in-person voting begins. So with all of this rapidly approaching, it’s crucial to understand the importance of early voting from both an economic and strategic standpoint.
There’s a prevailing sentiment among some conservatives that voting should only occur on Election Day using paper ballots. I do not disagree at all that this should be our future goal once we’ve secured the political power necessary to enact those changes. But the rules of how elections are conducted in this country, for better or worse, are set and won’t change between now and November 5th. So adhering strictly to this belief of Election Day only voting, in belief and practice, is not only impractical but actually extremely damaging to Republicans and conservatives, almost to the point where it feels like a psy op.
Let me explain why it’s important to maximize the impact of your vote and contribute to the success of the conservative movement by voting early. Consider the economics of it all. Early Mail Voting: Voting by mail shortly after receiving your ballot costs the movement approximately $10-12 per vote, maybe even less, depending on how many calls, texts, postcard reminders or door knocks are needed. If you return it the day you get it, the cost could be as low as $2-3. Early In-Person Voting: Voting in-person with the week or two after voting locations open increases the cost to around $20, but again, could be less depending on when you go. If you go the very first day of early in person voting, obviously the cost is much, much less. But now for the kicker: some people feel, for whatever reason—misguided principles, tradition, etc.—that they will only engage in Election Day voting. Waiting until Election Day can cost up to $100 per vote. People might say, no way it costs that much. Yes, it does. Let’s say you’re in Virginia and insist on waiting 45 days before you actually vote, but are definitely a 4 out of 4 or 3 out of 4 type voter. Door knocks, live calls, postcards, texts, digital ads, mind you, from multiple different entities like campaigns or grassroots entities, all add up. And a campaign or outside group is not going to stop contacting you until they know your vote is in.
Now if you choose to truly understand the current rules of the game and take about sixty seconds to think about it, for those who refuse to participate in early voting, a pressing question arises: Why do you hate your candidate and movement? That’s a serious question. Why do you intend to drain money, resources and time from Donald J. Trump, just like the left is doing via lawfare, because you want to be principled or whatever and vote on Election Day for “muh reasons?” Why do you hate the conservative movement writ large, which, by the way, is never as well funded as the left and has to maximize its resources as efficiently as possible? So please understand that it is essential to recognize that engaging with the current rules of the electoral system is not a betrayal of principles but a strategic maneuver to ensure the success of our candidates and causes. Think of voting early as your way of giving back.
The other aspect to consider is that by voting early, you can help conserve resources that can be allocated to turning out mid-to-low propensity voters, who are crucial for the success of conservative candidates, especially in 2024. In the past, the traditional thinking has been that low turnout favors a Republican and high turnout favors a Democrat, especially in a Presidential year. President Trump has really turned all of that on its head: he wins and helps other Republicans win by mobilizing more mid- to low-propensity voters who are going to be the key to Trump winning this year, as well as the GOP keeping the House and Senate. And while he typically brings out more of those mid- to low-probability voters, we are going to need every last one that we can find to come out this fall. But by their very nature, these mid- to low-propensity voters are more costly to turn out. So again, consider the economics of it all: let’s say a 4 out of 4 voter insists on voting on Election Day and costs $100 for his or her vote. Let’s say that person votes early in person; that saves Trump and the outside groups potentially $80 to be used to secure maybe another 3–4 mid-to-low propensity voters.
Another aspect to consider with absentee ballots or early voting is that early return or voting helps create a positive psychological narrative. In recent election cycles, the left has dominated this narrative by turning out early votes for their candidates, creating a perception of inevitable victory. Conservatives must counteract this by participating in early voting, ensuring a more balanced early vote count and building momentum for our candidates. This psychological edge can energize the conservative base and influence undecided voters.
The economics and strategy of early voting are clear. Voting early saves money, creates a positive narrative, and frees up resources to secure additional votes. For the conservative movement to succeed, it’s crucial for voters to engage with the current system as it stands now and vote early. Help Donald Trump out. Save the man money and vote early.
– – –
Ned Ryun is a former presidential writer for George W. Bush and the founder and CEO of American Majority. You can find him on Twitter @nedryun.
Photo “Vote Here” by Lorie Shaull. CC BY 2.0.
