AS THE Legislature prepares to tackle a major revision of Title 3 Guam Code Annotated, relative to conducting elections, there is a community service we would like to see them restore. That is early voting.

We opposed the repeal of this convenience to voters when it was brought up early last year. Hundreds of Guam voters took advantage of the opportunity to cast their ballots up to 30 days ahead of the actual day of election for several election cycles, reducing congestion at the polls and allowing at least some people to vote who otherwise might not have.

We said the Legislature should be making it easier for people to vote, not more difficult. The chapter removed from the Guam Code, number 10129, was even called “the early voting service to the community.” And indeed it was a useful service. Voters went to the Guam Election Commission office in Hagåtña, asked for a ballot, and voted. They did not need to state an excuse, which had previously been required to obtain an absentee ballot. In some jurisdictions, this service is even called “no excuse” early voting.

Unfortunately, the lawmakers saw fit to remove early voting from the law, and Gov. Eddie Calvo signed the bill. So after only a few years in step with the majority of U.S. states, which allow early voting, we took a step backward. We’re not aware of any widespread or pervasive abuse of the early voting privilege, although anecdotally there certainly were stories of voters casting an early ballot and then showing up at the polls on Election Day to vote again.

But that sort of violation is relatively easy to police and prevent. Much more significant was the expansion of the franchise the early voting law engendered. Many people who would be working on Election Day voted early, as did numerous elderly and infirm voters for whom standing in long lines on Election Day might be difficult. Parties and proponents of propositions organized transportation to get their supporters to the GEC office to vote early, and we saw nothing wrong with that.

We understand such voters can still vote by absentee ballot, but the process for justifying and obtaining such a ballot is cumbersome and, for some, onerous. It was much easier to just go to the election office and vote early. In fact, we had hoped the early voting privilege might be expanded to include the mayors’ offices.

Next week, as senators continue their discussions on Bill 413, we encourage them to bring up the question of early voting once more. In this computer and Internet age, jurisdictions throughout the country, and indeed the world, are simplifying the voting process and allowing properly registered voters to cast their ballots early. Guam should encourage that trend, not discourage it. Restore early voting!