What is direct balloting and how does it differ from absentee voting

[dflprincess]

7. If you vote absentee more than 7 days before the election

whether you do it by mail or in person, your ballot gets sealed in inner & outer envelopes. The outer envelope has your personal information on it, including your name, precinct number, etc. and is used to record that you voted. The inner envelope contains your ballot but no personal information and is used to protect the secrecy of your vote. (Never been an election judge but I don't think the 2 envelopes are opened at the same time.)

If you file absentee more than 7 days before the election and something happens that makes you want to change your vote, you can go to the clerk and ask for your ballot back. This is another instance where the outer envelope comes in handy.

If you vote 7 or fewer days before the election, either in person or your mailed ballot is received by the clerk, you do not have the option of asking for your ballot back. That is the reason you can feed your ballot right into the machine when voting in person at that point.