So it’s crucial not to be overly effusive; Trump is absolutely riding high right now, from Biden’s debate disaster to Judge Cannon throwing out the Jack Smith documents case to surviving an assassination attempt. But the right needs to focus on what happens between now and November 5th, specifically how every Republican and conservative can facilitate Trump win by doing one uncomplicated thing: voting early.
While many still think of voting as a November event, that simply isn’t true. Election season is upon us in US politics, and while the news cycle is pushing it to the forefront of people’s minds, the season is almost upon us as ballots are being cast and in-person early voting begins in many states in September. In North Carolina, voters will begin receiving their ballots on September 6. Early in-person voting will begin in Pennsylvania about ten days later, and five days after Pennsylvania, Virginia will begin voting and in-person early voting. So, with all of this quickly approaching, it’s crucial to understand the importance of early voting from both an economic and strategic perspective.
There is a belief among some conservatives that voting should be done exclusively on Election Day, using paper ballots. I do not deny that this should be our goal for the future, once we have the political power to make these changes. But the rules of how elections are conducted in this country, for better or for worse, are set in stone and will not change until November 5th. So to adhere strictly to this belief in voting exclusively on Election Day, in belief and practice, is not only impractical, but it is incredibly damaging to Republicans and conservatives, almost to the point of psychological surgery.
Let me explain why it’s crucial 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 absentee voting: Voting by mail soon after you receive your ballot costs the movement about $10 to $12 per vote, maybe even less, depending on how many calls, text messages, postcard reminders, or door-knocking are needed. If you return your ballot the same day you receive it, the cost can be as little as $2 to $3. Early in-person voting: Voting in-person a week or two after the polls open increases the cost to about $20, but again, it can be less depending on when you go. If you go on the first day of early in-person voting, the cost is obviously much, much lower. But here’s the bottom line: Some people think, for various reasons—misguided rules, tradition, etc.—that they’ll only vote on Election Day. Waiting until Election Day can cost as much as $100 per vote. People might say there’s no way it costs that much. Yes, it does. Let’s say you’re in Virginia and you insist on waiting 45 days before you actually vote, but you’re definitely a 4-on-4 or 3-on-4 voter. Door knocks, live chats, postcards, text messages, digital ads, remember, from a variety of entities like campaigns or grassroots organizations, it all adds up. And the campaign or outside group won’t stop contacting you until they know your vote has been cast.
Now, if you decide to really 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, an urgent question arises: Why do you hate your candidate and your movement? This is a stern question. Why are you going to suck money, resources, and time out of Donald J. Trump, as the left does through legal battles, because you want to be principled or whatever and vote on Election Day for “my reasons”? Why do you hate the conservative movement in general, which, by the way, is never as well-funded as the left and needs to maximize its resources as efficiently as possible? So please understand that it is crucial to recognize that engaging in the current rules of the electoral system is not a betrayal of principle, but a strategic maneuver to ensure the success of our candidates and causes. Think of early voting as a way to give back.
Another thing to consider is that by voting early, you can facilitate save resources that could be spent on winning over mid- to low-propensity voters, who are key to conservative candidates’ success, especially in 2024. The classic thinking in the past has been that low turnout favors Republicans and high turnout favors Democrats, especially in a presidential year. President Trump has really turned all that upside down: He’s winning and helping other Republicans win by mobilizing more mid- to low-propensity voters, who will be key to Trump winning this year and to the GOP holding the House and Senate. And while he usually attracts more mid- to low-propensity voters, we’re going to need every single one we can find to come out this fall. But by their very nature, these mid- to low-propensity voters are more costly to win over. So again, let’s consider the economics of this: Let’s say 4 out of 4 voters insist on voting on Election Day and it costs them $100 per vote. Let’s say this person votes in person early; that saves Trump and outside groups potentially $80 that could be used to secure maybe 3-4 other mid- to low-propensity voters.
Another aspect to consider with mail-in or early voting is that early returns or early voting facilitate create a positive psychological narrative. In recent election cycles, the left has dominated this narrative by casting early votes for their candidates, creating a sense of imminent victory. Conservatives need to counteract this by participating in early voting, ensuring a more balanced early count, and building momentum for our candidates. This psychological advantage can energize the conservative base and influence undecided voters.
The economics and strategy of early voting are clear. Early voting saves money, creates a positive narrative, and frees up resources to secure additional votes. For the conservative movement to succeed, it is crucial that voters engage with the current system as it is and vote early. Help Donald Trump. Save him money and vote early.
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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. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.
