The shape of elections to come

Yakima, WA — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 02:49:55 GMT

After watching "Hacking Democracy" how about voting machines and scanners that can't register negative numbers. Voting is only addition, its either a nothing or a plus. By leaving in the ability to subtract, they leave in the ability for tampering.

The shape of elections to come

Mark, Alaska — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:05:23 GMT

Hasen did not do his homework when he suggested using the 2010 census employees to do voter registration. Any personally identifiable information collected by the census bureau is protected by US Code Title 13 and a felony to disclose. Only because of this oath of confidentiality is it possible to collect this Constitutionally required information from citizens that cherish their privacy.
Additionally, because of the enormous hurdles to count every person in the US, the 2010 census process has already begun.

The shape of elections to come

Brian, Cleveland — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:48:04 GMT

I don't understand why we as a nation do not have a standardized method of voting in this country. I voted using an optical scan while my boss, who lives in a neiboring city, had the option to use a punch card or a touch screen. That's three differnt ways to vote within the same county. Is there any doubt why we experience so much cunfusion. There should be one standardized method for voting. Make election day a national holiday to circumvent high voter turnout, keep it low tech to avoid unexpected proplems and announce the winner three days after the election so every vote can be officially counted.

The shape of elections to come

Antonio Coassin,Melbourne,Victoria,Australia. — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:12:47 GMT

Maybe you could learn something from Australia.

The shape of elections to come

Ray Bilodeau, Worcester, MA — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:42:43 GMT

As a clerk for a polling place in Worcester, MA, I can tell you that a main cause of voting delays and slow processing has nothing to do with the balloting devices as such. The problem is using senior citizens who cannot hear or read well, paper voter lists that seem designed to be impossible to use in an efficient manner - no index tabs, tabs the workers have to put on, and only 26-letter tabs for lists that may contain more than one street with the same first letter, one street may contain several buildings and units which are not sorted in the list, and several other problems. These seniors also have problems processing foreign accents and languages, without help from interpreters, who themselves may have accents that the poll workers cannot understand.

The smart voters hand the poll workers identity cards, usually a driver's license, but they also are hard for poll workers to read, differ in style depending on whether it is an adult license, a learner's license, a separate liquor purchase ID, etc.

We need an electronic voter ID system that can use the existing IDs to check voters off or divert the problem cases to the clerk and warden. The actual voting part is quite short compared to the time it takes to verify the voter is entitled to vote, and in most states, you have to check in and check out using the same process. It makes no sense to continue these 18th century procedures.

The shape of elections to come

Monte Engel, Devils Lake, ND — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:16:32 GMT

How about using the North Dakota system? That is no voter registration, you just come to the poll, show ID and are given an ballot.

The shape of elections to come

Rich in G'burg — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 21:08:05 GMT

I'm not sure that so-called high-tech voting is all that good an idea. If the touch screen voting susceptibility to hacking is any indication, voters seem to have a lot more confidence in low tech methods. There was really nothing wrong with the punch ballots except for those damned hanging chads. We don't need "cutting edge" voting technology; what we *really* need is "cutting edge" hole punching technology. (And you can assume that's a pun if you want to.)

The shape of elections to come

MaryPonders, Phoenix, AZ — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:02:08 GMT

Here in Arizona, we are allowed to register and make changes if need be, online. I chose the early mail in ballot. For my family, it saved time and money.
I have to say, I too, like the first poster here, was worried about the electronic systems being unsecure.
It looks as if the "watch dogs" did their jobs this time.

The shape of elections to come

David W — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:18:30 GMT

It's not consitutional for the Feds to control the election process, plain and simple.

As far electronic voting systems go, a government (Federal or state) or NGO should just put out a prize for the development of a Open source publically developed and maintained electronic voting system that would create a set of open standards that any electroic voting system used in the Us would be required to adhear to. From there let the free market decide.

Personally I'd like to see a more permanat voting infrasturcture setup for the country with permant dedicated structures with all the supporting infrastructure setup to support. Kinda like the postal system where instead of a post office you have a vote office.

The shape of elections to come

Tim Rommes, Washington, UT — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:47:40 GMT

The desired change most talked about in the different circles I run in this election was the elimination of the Electoral College. Nobody seams to know what it's for. The conclusion generally is that it was applicable in times of slower communication. Most of the people I talked with thought the vote should be decided on election day by popular vote, as the tech exists to instantly report ballots.
Several thoughts.
Personally, I think we should keep the college but would like to see states go with the Nebraska (and one other state) method, or something similar. This system would cast a vote by district plus 2 winner take all votes. It's much more representative of popular vote and, I think, original intent.
States should also pass legislation that dictates how electoral votes are to be cast. At the very least voiding unfaithful votes. I don't see why the electors should have a choice in voting at all. They are elected as representatives in a very specific voting process. Their only voting responsibility is for the election of President and Vice President. A vote that reflects the constituency should be mandatory.
There's no reason voters can't preregister. So away with provisional ballots. Register early, verify your registration and know where to vote. If you don't care enough to ensure your vote will be counted then I doubt you're informed enough to cast a vote that really matters.
Absentee ballots should be cast with a deadline that gives enough time to have them assembled and verified by the open of the polls. Enough scanners should be available at a central location to ensure that they are scanned in by close of polls. That way they aren't counted early, which would risk swaying the still undecided, but they are in at the end of the day and the whole vote can be tallied.
A biometric section would speed things at the polls. By all means scan my thumbprint when I register and have a database of voters' thumbprints at each polling place with all those who are elligible to vote in that place. It would be elective, not mandatory, so no thief, rapist or murderer would have to put themselves at risk of arrest to vote. But it stands to speed things up while ensuring against voter fraud.
Of course, two larger problems remain. Getting people to vote at all, and getting people to be informed in their vote. We're getting better at turnout. The "careful reader" in the story is a joke. The last thing I do before I go to vote is sit in a coffee shop with all my materials and go over things one last time. That's the last place I'm a careful reader, in the booth I can be a careful copier, which is much faster. It's a matter of respect for that line of people waiting, and how much good is a vote on Prop 202 that was decided in the booth after a careful reading. Most of that crap is written in a technical legal English that comes off as convoluted double-speak to the average American. If you're just reading it in the booth it's little more than a coin flip.
Beyond the voting process there are other important issues. Finance, lobbying, etc.

The shape of elections to come

Tim Rommes, Washington, UT — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:38:38 GMT

David W wrote (11/7, 2318), "It's not constitutional for the Feds to control the election process, plain and simple."
This is correct. However, the constitution was written at a time when strong state government and weak central government was a major, or "governing", concern. After the Civil War the character of the nation changed to an identity as Americans from Virginia or Pennsylvania instead of Virginians or Pennsylvanians who are Americans. This is reflected in the 14th amendment, but that doesn't change much of the rest of the constitution. It is, perhaps, time to revisit much of the constitution, as much of it is now outdated. And it would be much better to take a new look at the hot issues of today and rewrite the constitution by amendment than to wait for the courts to (unconstitutionally) reinterpret the meaning of the constitution in light of current popular opinion. Yes, I just said it would be better to change the constitution the way the constitution says to do it instead of the way President Elect Obama says to do it.