Slashdot Mirror
How Would You Change U.S. Election Procedures?
"How about a credit card-style voter registration card that I have to swipe in order to verify that I am eligible to vote? Such a card could be used to present custom electronic ballots to voters so they do not have to physically vote in their home districts (one could be away on business and within the country's borders or even at an embassy in a foreign country and still vote without an absentee ballot). Federal standards would also put the burden of maintaining proper voting facilities on the Federal government, helping to alleviate issues that can arise with insufficient equipment in less affluent or populous districts. The idea is not to centralize the voting regulations that are currently in place in each state, but rather to centralize and unify the mechanics of casting a vote. Your thoughts?"
Trial by combat.
I have a strong distrust of electronic balloting in general, and recommend something that most Americans can handle: Bingo Ballots.
1. A Bingo Ballot (BB) is a stack of cards, perhaps 4"x 6".
2. Each (BB) card contains only one race. (I suppose they could be called Race Cards.)
a. All candidates listed in alphabetical order
b. A candidate slot for "none of the above" will always be provided at the bottom.
c. candidate slots will be evenly spaced on the card (i.e., if there are three candidates, then each occupies a fourth of the card. Don't forget the "None" candidate slot).
d. a row resembling a row of equal signs will divide each partition (======)
e. Each card will have a registration number (e.g. 12345-6-8). The middle digit is the "card" number, and the last digit is the "of cards" number. This will show the voter that there are eight cards to complete.
f. Font will be Courier 18pt minimum.
g. cards will be glued together as a notepad is, but such that they can be easily removed for counting.
h. For aiming purposes, a one centimeter box will be provided to the left of the candidate's name. As you will see below, this is not really important.
Voting:
a. The voter will be given an ink blotter resembling that used in Bingo, such to provide a one centimeter dot.
b. Voter will vote on each card, to be inspected at the end. Any race not voted for the voter will be required to mark "None."
c. Voter much manage to make a substancial mark (with a blotter that should be easy), that does not cross the line dividing candidates.
d. If the gap in the row (===) contains the substancial mark, then that vote is discarded.
e. If there's a big mark and a little mark, then the big mark counts.
f. If the voter screwed up, then they draw a fat 'X' on the ballot and is handed a replacement card. The original and replacement are stapled together.
Ballot Initiatives will have half the card to explain the initiative, and the bottom half will have three candidate slots: Yes, No, Don't Care.
What those who want activist courts fear is rule by the people.
1. Just have people bid for their desired positions--acknowledge the fact that money controls politics, not ideas. Stop beating around the bush with the current system.
2. Have a lottery during each election cycle in which citizens/residents are randomly chosen for positions. (Those chosen would, of course, have the option of declining). People don't understand elections, but they sure understand lotteries. This system would get a wide swath of Americans involved in politics. They probably could perform just as well (or poorly) as the current "professionals."
3. Go the Platonic route. Periodically measure everyone's intelligence (method to be determined). Offer government positions to those with the highest levels of intelligence. Witness the rise of NerD Nation!
And I'm spent.