In The News

Truckers give thumbs up to the early voting process

At the national headquarters of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association in Grain Valley, MO, officials are predicting that voting by the nation’s long-haul truckers may set records.

The truckers’ Association has more than 160,000 dues-paying members and keeps in close touch, fielding more than 1,500 phone calls a day and hundreds of e-mail messages.

“It appears more are making it to the polls than in the past,” said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 4. “One reason is the absentee ballot option and the early voting process offered by a lot of states.”

Thirty-one of 50 states currently offer the option of casting a ballot prior to Election Day. News sources are reporting that as of Tuesday morning, tens of millions of people had already voted.

OOIDA member Glenn Clark voted early, casting his vote on Oct. 27 in his home town of Pascagoula, MS. “I had to wait maybe 10 minutes. It was fast and easy,” he said.

OOIDA member Dave Schwandt voted absentee two weeks ago in Iowa. “I always vote absentee,” he said.

OOIDA member Robert Buker is a resident of Oregon, where all balloting is conducted by mail. Buker said he mailed in his ballot early.

“No lines, no waiting,” said Buker.

Trucker Joe Unger gave a thumbs up to the way Texas handles early voting. “My wife and I have gotten into the habit of early voting; there’s a lot less hassle and minimum waiting time,” Unger said.

“Whoever is elected, we must move forward and with confidence in our system,” added OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston.