Wow. I'm beginning to be calm now. I've seen Ohio come in and figure things are a little more certain now although I realize that the way the US system is structured things can change radically very quickly.
While I'm talking about the US system – what the heck?!?
I was chatting with a colleague this morning about people waiting hours to vote. Her comment (and she should know having worked for NGOs election monitoring in East Timor of all places!) "that's what happens in third world countries."
I don't understand how one of the most advanced countries in the world has so much trouble holding an election. Like really – how can people all over the country vote in completely different ways. Makes no sense. Different options. different ways of voting.
It's so simple here. You can register to vote when you file your taxes and before an election your voting card is mailed to you telling you where to go and vote. If you haven't registered that way someone will likely visit your home prior to the election to register you. On election day you go to your polling place where you are given a ballot. You go into the booth, take a pencil and draw and X next to the candidate you want. You then put the ballot in the ballot box. It is exactly the same way in Conception Bay, Newfoundland as it is in Inuktitut, Nunavut or Montreal, Quebec. You MIGHT wait 5 – 10 minutes to vote if you go at a particularly busy time. It's so simple.
Anyway, I going to stop complaining and go and watch all the fun. Going to be a late night.
Got to say it again – wow!
2 comments:
Question: Does someone have to physically count each X or does a machine read it?
I live in Silicon Valley in Northern California and I had it easy. I went at 4pm and there was no line. I think the lines really depended on where you were and how many polling places were available to your area.
As for how many ways to vote, it is a bit ridiculous. I had to color in my choice and a machine read it. I've done the dimple kind where you punch a hole in it but after the Gore/Bush fiasco 8 years ago many counties have changed systems. Then there is the whole Diebold issue where you can't trust if the machine is reading the results properly.
We definitely have issues. :0)
Yup someone has to physically count. I've served as a Deputy Returning officer in more than one election and at the end of the night when the polls close you have to sit and count all the ballots in the box (along with an assistant). Then you report your results in for your individual polling station and bring the sealed ballot boxes to a central location. Makes recounts pretty reliable.
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