don't tell me to vote early

Tuesday is primary day, when voters -- at least those who care enough to vote in the primaries -- will be
selecting their candidates for citywide office. Which means that today marked the last day of early voting. Which means, I hope, that I will stop getting these annoying text messages encouraging me to vote early. And I can stop hearing political ads telling me to vote early. Finally.

I get that there are good arguments to allow early voting. That's especially true when it comes to people who may not be able to vote on the actual day of voting -- although that's what absentee ballots are for. But there's been an odd inversion. People talk about early voting as something I should want to do. As if voting on election day (or, in this case, primary day) is something to do only if I can't make it to the polls to vote early.

All this reminds me of the Monty Hall problem (which I blogged about here). Getting extra information helps you. When you vote early you give up any information that comes between the time you cast your vote and the actual election. Here in New York City we have actually had candidate debates after the start of early voting. Why would I want to eschew whatever new information comes out?

This is even more relevant in an election such as this where we have the scourge of ranked-choice voting. Even if I'm absolutely sure of my favorite candidate in each race, I want to be able to pick my top five, in order. How likely is it that I have such clarity about my top five in each race that my mind won't be changed?

I understand that there has to be some moment when I have to be pencils down and make my choice with the information that's available. And there's always the chance that there will be more information the next day. But I at least want my pencil up as long as possible.