Definition of postal vote

The term "postal vote" originally derives from the process by which a person Casts their vote through the postal service instead of physically visiting a polling booth on Election Day. The concept of postal voting emerged in the late 19th century, when many countries began to expand their universal suffrage and recognized the difficulty of enabling all citizens to participate in the electoral process. The first implementation of postal voting can be traced back to the 1870s in the United States, where some states allowed prisoners and military personnel to vote by post. The idea gained more popularity in the 1880s, when Switzerland introduced a system of postal voting for expatriates. By the early 20th century, several European and Commonwealth countries, such as Germany, Finland, and Australia, had adopted similar systems, enabling citizens who were temporarily or permanently absent on Election Day to cast their ballots via mail. Over time, the eligibility criteria for postal voting have broadened, and today, many countries offer postal voting to voters with disabilities, people living far away from polling stations, and those working on Election Day. Postal voting has been widely adopted as a way of increasing voter engagement, convenience, and participation, particularly in countries where physical voting is challenging due to geographic barriers, natural disasters, or pandemics like COVID-19. In short, the origin of the term "postal vote" can be traced back to the late 19th century, when postal voting emerged as an innovative and convenient method of enabling citizens to participate in the electoral process, regardless of their location. The concept has since evolved, becoming an essential component of modern electoral systems worldwide.