A small county in Nebraska is voting by mail to reduce voting costs, but some miss Election Day camaraderie.
Mail voting often reduces costs and improves voter
turnout, but residents of some rural
communities say their sense of community is
dwindling
with the removal of in-person polling locations.
Residents of Cherry County, Neb., which at 100
miles wide is the
state’s geographically largest county, miss election
days when neighbors
gathered to vote.
“You did more than just vote. You sat and visited
with people,” said
rancher Paul Young, adding it wasn’t uncommon for
cake, pie and coffee
to be served at the school polling place that closed
seven years
ago.
Tom Elliott, the county’s election commissioner,
agreed, but says
the switch is an economically better way to run
elections. The switch to vote-by-mail has allowed the
county to trim 121 Election Day employees.
“We all enjoyed that traditional aspect of going to
the polling
place,” Elliott said, adding that the conclusion was
foregone.
By Emily Nohr, News21