posted by iclfan2
Pretty much, it enables lazy people (or whatever reason) who otherwise wouldn't vote to vote. I requested an absentee ballot as well, bc who wants to go wait in line when there is a much easier option. For absentee, at least you have to provide info to get a ballot, vs. universal where they mail it out to everyone registered. I prefer people having to make that extra step.
Everything I've read points to fraud being very rare and immaterial.
Or people in those metro areas where voting machines aren't quite as common as in other places. Living in a rural area, I'm in and out in a matter of a few minutes when I vote so I have no problem with in-person voting personally; seems every election, though, you'll see pics of huge-ass lines because some city is so under-machined that in-person voting is a matter of if a person can afford to wait indefinitely.
But I agree with the overall point of making the extra step and the point that fraud is an overall rare, immaterial point. Just another one of those things for weak-willed bitches to complain about if an election doesn't go their way.