More convenient. The polling place is on the way to work, a few blocks from my house. The early voting locations are much further away. I have a friend who volunteers at a polling place every election, and he's explained the procedure to me: Even if I voted in-person absentee (i.e. early), they keep my ballot sealed until election day, then it has to be transported to my polling place, and an election volunteer has to physically walk it through the same process of consulting the voter book, and placing it in the scanner.

It's not quite the same, of course. I was behind one of these volunteers this morning, and he located a long list of voters in the book, rather than doing it one at a time. But, at the bottom line, my ballot has to be physically cast at my polling place on election day by somebody. So why not go do it myself?

There are way less early voting locations and they typically close earlier, so they're (purposely) much less convenient to plan for. The one time I early voted, I waited in line for like two hours. They ended up staying open past the advertised close time so those of us still waiting in line could vote.

Meanwhile, this morning I went and voted at my normal location and it took like 20 minutes from parking to getting back in my car, and the poll workers there said it was the busiest they've seen so far.

I'm in an area that isn't under threat of having my vote invalidated

In the US, we like to make voting a challenge. No election day holiday, polling places usually have hours within 9-5, and mail-in ballots are being postmarked late because of cost cutting in the USPS.

But what if there’s a last minute announcement and it turns out the democrats are all aliens?

Spoiler: I’d probably still vote Democrat in the unfortunate event that I’m an American and in that situation.

Well, for me I've been out of town then sick since early voting started. Finally can get out today. Normally though I prefer to skip the lines and vote early. My state also does not allow mail in without reason (which is fucking nonsense but alas).

Early voting is one location deep in the city center with a 2 hour line, USPS can't be depended on to deliver a ballot in time. Day-of voting provides a local, low-traffic polling station.

Personally I think the sooner everything collapses the better for the most people and continuing this charade of "voting out fascism" is pointless. That being said, I'm one dumb person and many others, smarter than me, say it's worth it, so I do it, but voting for capitalists requires holding my nose. I live in Oregon and Tina Kotek is a great example of someone I don't want to vote for but probably will vote for to further Democratic party interests. I sat down to do it yesterday and legit started weeping for the death of the American experiment. So I left it to today. My county clerk is in walking distance and I'll deliver it to her this morning. That's the beauty of voting only by mail, it's not rushed chaos.

Because the hours for my early voting location are the same hours that I work.

Well, for me I've been out of town then sick since early voting started. Finally can get out today. Normally though I prefer to skip the lines and vote early. My state also does not allow mail in without reason (which is fucking nonsense but alas).

sometimes my schedule just doesn't align, or the early voting locations are a 3 minute bike ride away instead of right at the end of my street

disclaimer: not american

Because Missouri hates me. Mail-in ballots are only for excused reasons. I would have voted early, but there wasn't a location that would be convenient for me. This morning, I was in and out in 5 minutes.