Technology is not the answer. It's my experience that technology only empowers people to screw up faster than ever before!
The answer is this: hold voting in higher regard and make time for it. Rushing through the voting booth is no excuse for voting errors. If voters can't be bothered to take their time and use caution and care, they get what they deserve. It's the voter's responsibility to ensure they understand their ballot and properly mark it, whether they're drawing an 'X,' completing an arrow, filling in a bubble or punching a hole. I've used several different ballots, but in each case I took the time to understand them. Should I not expect the same of others? Should we as a society not expect dilligence and care from voters?
You answer your own question. The voting booth is no place for haste! There is absolutely no reason for hurry when a voter marks his ballot.
Butterfly ballots, like those used in Cook county, IL, Fulton county, GA, and Palm Beach county, FL, are not at all difficult to use. Take the ballot card, slide it in the slot and hook the alignment pins into the holes at the top of the ballot. Flip all ballot pages to the right, like you're about to read a book. Then carefully read each page of the entire ballot to make sure you understand what's going on. Finally, go back through the ballot and mark your choices after giving serious contemplation as to what you're doing.
Worried about "hanging chad?" Take your ballot out of the slot, and flip it over, viewing it from the back side. See anything that shouldn't be there? Pull it off.
There's nothing wrong with the voting method; the problem lies in the laziness of the voters.
You can't double-punch your ballot after it goes into the bin.
But they can get double punched before going into the bin. Dollars to doughnuts that's what happened.
People are reporting asking an election official for help, and getting "I don't know either" for an answer.
Possible, but unlikely. The ballots aren't that complicated, and every poll supervisor I've ever dealt with has been courteous and knowlegeable. They take great pride in their work.
People are reporting asking for a second ballot (as you suggest), and being refused.
That's because they're asking for a new ballot after having already cast the first one. Of course they're going to get refused; each person only gets to cast one ballot. Theirs has already been cast! Why, why is this so hard?
People are reporting being told that their ballot would be thrown out if they spent more than five minutes in the booth.
That's a new one to me. I can't imagine that happening. The florida law is to keep th lines moving, not to disqualify voters. However, I've never seen it enforced. An unscientific poll of people I work with that have come from different states agree; time limits are not widely enforced at all.
All the stories may or may not be hearsay, and even if someone is actually making the reported claims, they may or may not be true. That's why a courtroom is the only legitimate solution.
Why? Can't these people just accept that on this one day they acted foolishly, deposited a ballot that they didn't check, and therefore caused their vote to go the wrong way or get thrown out. It's no one's fault but their own:
The ballot in question was seen by all, and approved by all parties
Each person, upon entering the voting booth, has the responsibility to ensure they understand the ballot completely, and not just blindly rely on voter guides or other papers taken to the booth
Each person, upon entering the voting booth, has the responsibility to double check their ballot, making sure that each vote was made as intended.
Each person, upon soiling or spoiling their ballot, has the responsibility to find a poll supervisor, explain what happened, and request a new ballot. A new ballot will be given to them and the old one will be destroyed.
Each person, upon successfully voting their heart, will take their ballot to the box for deposit. No one else is allowed to touch their ballot, not even the poll supervisors. The voter must personally place their ballot in the box. Anything else is a breach of law and punishable by jail time!
Once the ballot is in the box, the voter loses all rights to change their mind; their vote is irrevocably cast. It is therefore in their best interest to make absolutely sure that their ballot is right before going to the ballot box
Look: they only discovered their "mistake" after they dropped their ballot in the box. That means that the time of reflection is over, and the vote has been cast.
To ask for a new ballot is like asking for a new parachute after jumping out of the airplane.
Furthermore, I never never said anyone was stupid; quit putting words in my mouth. What I said was that they were lazy for not fully understanding the ballot before punching their choice.
It's illegal to get a new ballot after one has already been cast. If they had been observant and seen their "error" before placing their ballot in the box they would have been given a new one. It's just that simple.
Please, somebody either post or mail me a link to a legitiment news story where somebody asked for a new ballot to replace a spoiled one and was refused. Not FUD. Not hearsay. I want CNN, ABC, that kind of thing. Please. I really, really want to see this.
That is absolutely illegal. If that really happened, the poll supervisors go to jail. Nobody is supposed to touch the ballot besides the voter until it goes into the box.
I can't imagine that really happening, however. Poll supervisors know their responsibilities and what happens for improper conduct on their part. All the supervisors I've ever come into contact with were very professional, and would not think of such behavior.
As soon as your ballot falls into the box, your right to change your mind ends. You, as a voter, had all the time in the world to consider your ballot and vote in the booth; nobody but you limits your time. To cast a ballot, and then complain that you "voted wrong" is silly!
It's a violation of state law to cast more than one ballot. It is not a violation of federal law to deny a ballot to somebody that's already voted. Do you even understand the circumstances?
These people dropped their ballots in the box, and only much later claim they "voted wrong." By then it's too late! Let me say that again: Once you cast your ballot in an election done by secret ballot, your right to change your mind is gone and it is too late!
If, on the other hand, they had done the responsible thing, checked and reviewed their ballot, found their mistake and told an election poll supervisor they would have immediately received another one!
But you can't fairly give the entire presidential race to one county in one state, and that's what you're proposing. The entire process last Tuesday would have to go. Do you think that everyone would really, really do the right thing and vote exactly the way they did before?
No, the Nader guys would vote Gore. The Buchanan, Browne and everyone else would vote Bush. Nobody but those two candidates would get any votes at all!
Look, those people had all the time in the world to properly makr their ballot, but they decided to rush instead of being careful. They decided that their vote was not worth fretting over. They decided that their President wasn't worth care and deliberate action. Nothing to do with age. Nothing to do with intellect. All to do with attitude!
Those people that did accidently punch the wrong hole and noticed it perhaps didn't think to get a new ballot as they should have, but rather punched the hole for the candidate they wanted.
I'm not apologizing for them, but we don't have to go to an organized conspiracy to explain a doubly-punched ballot.
The people complaning did indeed vote, and I'd bet dollars to dougnuts they voted Gore.
After the state went back Undecided, they started shouting, claiming they voted Buchanan, but meant to vote Gore
The apathy and ignorance of the American people take over as they try to cast a doubt on the ability of the Consitution to handle this year's race
But the Constitution can handle this. In December, the EC will vote. If no clear majority is won, the House of Representatives chooses the President. No Constitutional problems at all!
I never said that old people shouldn't vote. In fact, I never made mention of any physical attribute of any voter anywhere. If anything, I've tried to keep physical abilities out of my side of the discussion.
My whole argument hinges on frame of mind, not frame of body. I only said that people should vote with all due dilligence and ensure that their ballot is correct before casting it. There's no ballot design in the world that would save anyone from their own slothfulness.
Just because someone is advanced in years does not mean that they are incapable of thinking. If anything, I would think that their own maturity would ensure their seriousness in the voting booth. Voting is not to be taken lightly and flippantly. The act of voting must be performed carefully and deliberately. This is all I've ever said.
I think I've discovered one thing that I've left out of previous posts to this thread that may clarify the issue:
Once you cast your ballot, you can't get a new one. That is, once your ballot is in the box, it is inexorably gone. Like it or not, once it slides through the slot your decision is made and can't be changed.
Otherwise, what's to stop everyone from voting at least twice? "Oops, I voted for the wrong guy; let me have another ballot and try again! (wink wink)."
Of course those people are not going to get a new ballot after they've cast a previous one. If they had discovered their "mistake" in a timely fashion, before their ballots were cast, they would have been given new ballots!
I never said anyone was dumb. I said they were careless! There's a world of difference!
First off, intelligence or "smarts" is to a large degree hereditary and out of our personal control. I do not deny anyone the opportunity to cast ballots based on their "smarts."
I do however think that anyone who votes in haste is a fool, in the moral sense. Our priveledge in voting has lost its value to many of us, and is therefore seen as a hassle instead of the joy that it should be. People should take their time at the booth; there's no clock there. Be thorough and complete. Read and understand. If something is inscrutible, ask one of the poll supervisors; that's what they're there for!
I make no judgements on intelligence, merely on their morality!
Where were people denied ballots after they spoiled their first ones? Not here in Brevard county, that's for sure! I can tell you of at least one man that got a new ballot; he was the guy in front of me in line at the ballot box. He had soiled his ballot with a half-filled mark and another completely-filled mark in one category. The box rejected his ballot, and he was given a new one.
For those of you that live in hole-punch counties or districts where the ballots are not validated at the box, it is doubly important to ensure that you verify your ballot before turning it in. Turning in your ballot to the ballot box is certifying that the marks on it are as you intend.
Don't do it unless you're absolutely certain!
If people asked for a new ballot, and refused, they should file a formal complaint with their county election authorities. On the other hand, I think that most places limit voters to only three or so ballots; screw up three times and they don't give you another one. I think that this is more of a practicality issue: only so many ballots are printed!
Those are exactly the people I said that blew it. They were not rushed by anyone besides themselves in the voting booth. I've never seen a stopwatch at the polls. If they couldn't take the time to go back over their ballot and verify that they voted correctly, then they get what they deserve.
I really don't mean to sound harsh, but we as a people have slipped a long way when it comes to how seriously we take our voting priveledge. In Brevard county we had a legal-sized double-sided ScanTron type ballot. I very carefully read the entire ballot before I made a single mark. Then, I went back through and re-read each item before I voted on it. I probably took three or four minutes to complete the ballot.
Yes, the polling place was crowded. Yes, I was on my way to work like most of the people there. Would you not agree, however, that missing a little work time is less important that ensuring that my ballot is properly cast?
The more I think about it, the more I find this kind of bruhaha was inevitable. We've come so far down the "it's not my fault!" road that we can't even take responsibility for our own voting actions.
Those shills in Palm Beach county (they've got to be Gore operatives, in my opinion), should, if they are honest, say, "Gosh, how stupid and foolish of me! I'll do better next time!" Instead of the whining they are doing now.
What court? Federal court? It has no jurisdiction over how states run their own elections-- and all elections are state-level. There's no such thing as a Federal election. Don't beleve me? Check out the Constitution.
Each county in each state chooses its own ballot system. Each county buys their own equipment and prints their own ballots. Each ballot is scrutinized for weeks before use. For the most part, voting systems in use have been around for quite some time and everyone in that county knows how to use it, or they ask a poll supervisor for directions.
I agree that electronic scanning of ballots at the box does reduce the number of spoiled ballots that get cast; the guy right in front of me in line to the box had his ballot rejected due to a half-filled mark that would have voided his intended vote on one issue. It would not, however, catch mis-voted ballots. As long as a ballot is valid it's accepted. The ballots cast for Buchanan in Palm Beach county were valid ballots and would not have been caught by the tallying ballot boxes.
There's no need for a court case; indeed, there's no grounds. The one thing we get from this is a good lesson on why it's vital to completely understand a ballot before even approaching the act of marking it. Blindly following a sample ballot brought from home doesn't abdicate the need for completely reading and comprehending the actual ballot to be cast.
Might I suggest actually reading the United States Constitution? It would give you much valuable insight into how our Electoral process works.
In particular, please note Article 2, which describes the President, his powers, and how he gets elected.
For example, I quote Section 2, clause 2:
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to
which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an
Elector.
Do you not vote for your own state legislature? There is your say in how your Electors get chosen. Simple as that. Don't like the current system? Get cracking and write your state congressmen!
First order of business: Everyone on my Christmas list gets a copy of the United States Constitution this year.
Growing up in the metropolitan Atlanta area we used a similar flip-book ballot system. Ballots were a tall, narrow card in which voters punched holes with a metal stylus. The ballot was inserted into a slot at the top of the ballot booklet, which was attached to the poll booth.
Voters would then proceed through the ballot, flipping through the metal-framed pages as if it were a book. I never had any problem voting for the right candidates; each was clearly marked. Furthermore, there were choices on each side of each page of the ballot: one column of punch holes for each facing pages combination, working left to right across the ballot.
If people in south Florida can't be bothered to take the time to familiarize themselves with the ballot they're voting, it's their own fault. There is absolutely no excuse for blinding poking holes in a ballot card without carefully reading and verifying what you're doing.
Those people voted Buchanan, period. If it was a mistake, I'm sorry but they blew it. They had every opportunity to fix their ballot while they were at the voting booth. They could have asked for a new ballot, had they noticed a mistake. The poll supervisors would have happily given them one. It's no big deal. It is in everyone's best interest that ballots are clear and readable. Ballots are scutinized for weeks to ensure legibility and clarity. Like any system, however, stupidity and sloth can't be accounted for. Individual voters must take the time to understand their ballot. Any questions must be immediately taken to the poll supervisors. It's part of their job to ensure voters understand the process and the ballot.
As I said yesterday, there is no excuse for not taking extreme care and proceeding only at a deliberate pace when executing the priveledge of voting in the United States.
They didn't "accidently" vote for Buchanan instead of Gore. They obviously meant to vote for Buchanan. I'll tell you why:
When we enter the voting booth with our ballot, we are taking part in one of the most amazing processes in history. For most of our collective time here on earth we've either not been numerous to need a government, or had our goverment imposed upon us. It was only a little over two hundred years ago that this great system was carefully pieced together by some very bright and forward thinking men. Here, we take part not only in choosing our leaders, but act as instruments in the fulfillment of God's plan for this country.
Each of us carefully considers what we're doing: we read and re-read each ballot initiative, even if we've looked at voter guides, even if we've examined sample ballots, even if we've already made up our mind exactly what we're going to do. We read and re-read each item, ensuring that we fully understand what is being asked. Questions are directed immediately to poll supervisors, and they are always extremely happy to explain what any item may mean, or reiterate how the ballot works.
After many moments of careful, deliberate thought, we mark our ballot. Sometimes a section is left blank as an abstention when we are not informed enough to make an educated choice. I admit, sometimes mistakes are made. We all know that. That's why we review our ballot after making our choices. If we find that something was done wrong, or we accidently mark more than one choice in a category, we quickly find a poll supervisor and explain that we have soiled our ballot an need a new one. A new ballot is cheerfully provided, and we again, this time even more carefully, mark our choices.
Satisfied with the marked choices on our ballot, we confidently make our way to the ballot box. Another poll supervisor instructs us how to insert the ballot; depending on the ballot type it can matter. We place our ballot in the box and complete our duty and honor as American citizens.
Taking such care in our voting, we never vote for the wrong people; by the time we are at the ballot box we are convinced that our ballot is marked properly. Those people meant to vote for Buchanan. To say anything less is insulting!
Whose fault is it if somebody is not bright enough to vote for the guy they intended to? Nobody but their own!
It's not like there's a time limit on voting, just walk over to the booth and take your time! I'm so sick of this whole business of "Buchanan got some votes intended for Gore" because they couldn't figure out the ballot! What was the rush? Am I to believe that there are people that blindly punch holes in ballots without reading them? No, those people voted for Buchanan, and somebody else picked it up as a way to raise public ire and cast doubt on the whole Florida election process.
I took over five minutes to read over every stinking ballot initiative on my legal-sized, two-sided ballot. I wanted to make absolutely sure I understood what I was voting for or against. I took my time and was careful.
Anything less shows just how cavalier that the average American takes their voting priveledges. By God's grace we were born in a country where we can vote for our leaders or on what we want our government to do. Anthing but patient and deliberate execution of that priveledge is inexcusable.
Slashdot Mirror
The answer is this: hold voting in higher regard and make time for it. Rushing through the voting booth is no excuse for voting errors. If voters can't be bothered to take their time and use caution and care, they get what they deserve. It's the voter's responsibility to ensure they understand their ballot and properly mark it, whether they're drawing an 'X,' completing an arrow, filling in a bubble or punching a hole. I've used several different ballots, but in each case I took the time to understand them. Should I not expect the same of others? Should we as a society not expect dilligence and care from voters?
Butterfly ballots, like those used in Cook county, IL, Fulton county, GA, and Palm Beach county, FL, are not at all difficult to use. Take the ballot card, slide it in the slot and hook the alignment pins into the holes at the top of the ballot. Flip all ballot pages to the right, like you're about to read a book. Then carefully read each page of the entire ballot to make sure you understand what's going on. Finally, go back through the ballot and mark your choices after giving serious contemplation as to what you're doing.
Worried about "hanging chad?" Take your ballot out of the slot, and flip it over, viewing it from the back side. See anything that shouldn't be there? Pull it off.
There's nothing wrong with the voting method; the problem lies in the laziness of the voters.
All the stories may or may not be hearsay, and even if someone is actually making the reported claims, they may or may not be true. That's why a courtroom is the only legitimate solution. Why? Can't these people just accept that on this one day they acted foolishly, deposited a ballot that they didn't check, and therefore caused their vote to go the wrong way or get thrown out. It's no one's fault but their own:
- The ballot in question was seen by all, and approved by all parties
- Each person, upon entering the voting booth, has the responsibility to ensure they understand the ballot completely, and not just blindly rely on voter guides or other papers taken to the booth
- Each person, upon entering the voting booth, has the responsibility to double check their ballot, making sure that each vote was made as intended.
- Each person, upon soiling or spoiling their ballot, has the responsibility to find a poll supervisor, explain what happened, and request a new ballot. A new ballot will be given to them and the old one will be destroyed.
- Each person, upon successfully voting their heart, will take their ballot to the box for deposit. No one else is allowed to touch their ballot, not even the poll supervisors. The voter must personally place their ballot in the box. Anything else is a breach of law and punishable by jail time!
- Once the ballot is in the box, the voter loses all rights to change their mind; their vote is irrevocably cast. It is therefore in their best interest to make absolutely sure that their ballot is right before going to the ballot box
It's just that simple!To ask for a new ballot is like asking for a new parachute after jumping out of the airplane.
Furthermore, I never never said anyone was stupid; quit putting words in my mouth. What I said was that they were lazy for not fully understanding the ballot before punching their choice.
It's illegal to get a new ballot after one has already been cast. If they had been observant and seen their "error" before placing their ballot in the box they would have been given a new one. It's just that simple.
Please, somebody either post or mail me a link to a legitiment news story where somebody asked for a new ballot to replace a spoiled one and was refused. Not FUD. Not hearsay. I want CNN, ABC, that kind of thing. Please. I really, really want to see this.
I did not write vi. And I don't take credit for EDLIN either :)
I can't imagine that really happening, however. Poll supervisors know their responsibilities and what happens for improper conduct on their part. All the supervisors I've ever come into contact with were very professional, and would not think of such behavior.
Do you have a link to the story? I'd like to see it; this kind of thing should make national news!
It's a violation of state law to cast more than one ballot. It is not a violation of federal law to deny a ballot to somebody that's already voted. Do you even understand the circumstances?
These people dropped their ballots in the box, and only much later claim they "voted wrong." By then it's too late! Let me say that again: Once you cast your ballot in an election done by secret ballot, your right to change your mind is gone and it is too late !
If, on the other hand, they had done the responsible thing, checked and reviewed their ballot, found their mistake and told an election poll supervisor they would have immediately received another one!
No, the Nader guys would vote Gore. The Buchanan, Browne and everyone else would vote Bush. Nobody but those two candidates would get any votes at all!
Look, those people had all the time in the world to properly makr their ballot, but they decided to rush instead of being careful. They decided that their vote was not worth fretting over. They decided that their President wasn't worth care and deliberate action. Nothing to do with age. Nothing to do with intellect. All to do with attitude!
Those people that did accidently punch the wrong hole and noticed it perhaps didn't think to get a new ballot as they should have, but rather punched the hole for the candidate they wanted.
I'm not apologizing for them, but we don't have to go to an organized conspiracy to explain a doubly-punched ballot.
My whole argument hinges on frame of mind, not frame of body. I only said that people should vote with all due dilligence and ensure that their ballot is correct before casting it. There's no ballot design in the world that would save anyone from their own slothfulness.
Just because someone is advanced in years does not mean that they are incapable of thinking. If anything, I would think that their own maturity would ensure their seriousness in the voting booth. Voting is not to be taken lightly and flippantly. The act of voting must be performed carefully and deliberately. This is all I've ever said.
First off, intelligence or "smarts" is to a large degree hereditary and out of our personal control. I do not deny anyone the opportunity to cast ballots based on their "smarts."
I do however think that anyone who votes in haste is a fool, in the moral sense. Our priveledge in voting has lost its value to many of us, and is therefore seen as a hassle instead of the joy that it should be. People should take their time at the booth; there's no clock there. Be thorough and complete. Read and understand. If something is inscrutible, ask one of the poll supervisors; that's what they're there for!
I make no judgements on intelligence, merely on their morality!
For those of you that live in hole-punch counties or districts where the ballots are not validated at the box, it is doubly important to ensure that you verify your ballot before turning it in. Turning in your ballot to the ballot box is certifying that the marks on it are as you intend. Don't do it unless you're absolutely certain!
If people asked for a new ballot, and refused, they should file a formal complaint with their county election authorities. On the other hand, I think that most places limit voters to only three or so ballots; screw up three times and they don't give you another one. I think that this is more of a practicality issue: only so many ballots are printed!
I really don't mean to sound harsh, but we as a people have slipped a long way when it comes to how seriously we take our voting priveledge. In Brevard county we had a legal-sized double-sided ScanTron type ballot. I very carefully read the entire ballot before I made a single mark. Then, I went back through and re-read each item before I voted on it. I probably took three or four minutes to complete the ballot.
Yes, the polling place was crowded. Yes, I was on my way to work like most of the people there. Would you not agree, however, that missing a little work time is less important that ensuring that my ballot is properly cast?
The more I think about it, the more I find this kind of bruhaha was inevitable. We've come so far down the "it's not my fault!" road that we can't even take responsibility for our own voting actions.
Those shills in Palm Beach county (they've got to be Gore operatives, in my opinion), should, if they are honest, say, "Gosh, how stupid and foolish of me! I'll do better next time!" Instead of the whining they are doing now.
Each county in each state chooses its own ballot system. Each county buys their own equipment and prints their own ballots. Each ballot is scrutinized for weeks before use. For the most part, voting systems in use have been around for quite some time and everyone in that county knows how to use it, or they ask a poll supervisor for directions.
I agree that electronic scanning of ballots at the box does reduce the number of spoiled ballots that get cast; the guy right in front of me in line to the box had his ballot rejected due to a half-filled mark that would have voided his intended vote on one issue. It would not, however, catch mis-voted ballots. As long as a ballot is valid it's accepted. The ballots cast for Buchanan in Palm Beach county were valid ballots and would not have been caught by the tallying ballot boxes.
There's no need for a court case; indeed, there's no grounds. The one thing we get from this is a good lesson on why it's vital to completely understand a ballot before even approaching the act of marking it. Blindly following a sample ballot brought from home doesn't abdicate the need for completely reading and comprehending the actual ballot to be cast.
Sorry, my quote was Article 2, Section 1, Clause 2. Oops. :(
Might I suggest actually reading the United States Constitution? It would give you much valuable insight into how our Electoral process works.
In particular, please note Article 2, which describes the President, his powers, and how he gets elected.
For example, I quote Section 2, clause 2:
Do you not vote for your own state legislature? There is your say in how your Electors get chosen. Simple as that. Don't like the current system? Get cracking and write your state congressmen!First order of business: Everyone on my Christmas list gets a copy of the United States Constitution this year.
This shouldn't disqualify the entire ballot, just the vote for that particular race.
Voters would then proceed through the ballot, flipping through the metal-framed pages as if it were a book. I never had any problem voting for the right candidates; each was clearly marked. Furthermore, there were choices on each side of each page of the ballot: one column of punch holes for each facing pages combination, working left to right across the ballot.
If people in south Florida can't be bothered to take the time to familiarize themselves with the ballot they're voting, it's their own fault. There is absolutely no excuse for blinding poking holes in a ballot card without carefully reading and verifying what you're doing.
Those people voted Buchanan, period. If it was a mistake, I'm sorry but they blew it. They had every opportunity to fix their ballot while they were at the voting booth. They could have asked for a new ballot, had they noticed a mistake. The poll supervisors would have happily given them one. It's no big deal. It is in everyone's best interest that ballots are clear and readable. Ballots are scutinized for weeks to ensure legibility and clarity. Like any system, however, stupidity and sloth can't be accounted for. Individual voters must take the time to understand their ballot. Any questions must be immediately taken to the poll supervisors. It's part of their job to ensure voters understand the process and the ballot.
As I said yesterday, there is no excuse for not taking extreme care and proceeding only at a deliberate pace when executing the priveledge of voting in the United States.
I already explained why with any sincere voter, there's no such thing as voting incorrectly.
They didn't "accidently" vote for Buchanan instead of Gore. They obviously meant to vote for Buchanan. I'll tell you why:
When we enter the voting booth with our ballot, we are taking part in one of the most amazing processes in history. For most of our collective time here on earth we've either not been numerous to need a government, or had our goverment imposed upon us. It was only a little over two hundred years ago that this great system was carefully pieced together by some very bright and forward thinking men. Here, we take part not only in choosing our leaders, but act as instruments in the fulfillment of God's plan for this country.
Each of us carefully considers what we're doing: we read and re-read each ballot initiative, even if we've looked at voter guides, even if we've examined sample ballots, even if we've already made up our mind exactly what we're going to do. We read and re-read each item, ensuring that we fully understand what is being asked. Questions are directed immediately to poll supervisors, and they are always extremely happy to explain what any item may mean, or reiterate how the ballot works.
After many moments of careful, deliberate thought, we mark our ballot. Sometimes a section is left blank as an abstention when we are not informed enough to make an educated choice. I admit, sometimes mistakes are made. We all know that. That's why we review our ballot after making our choices. If we find that something was done wrong, or we accidently mark more than one choice in a category, we quickly find a poll supervisor and explain that we have soiled our ballot an need a new one. A new ballot is cheerfully provided, and we again, this time even more carefully, mark our choices.
Satisfied with the marked choices on our ballot, we confidently make our way to the ballot box. Another poll supervisor instructs us how to insert the ballot; depending on the ballot type it can matter. We place our ballot in the box and complete our duty and honor as American citizens.
Taking such care in our voting, we never vote for the wrong people; by the time we are at the ballot box we are convinced that our ballot is marked properly. Those people meant to vote for Buchanan. To say anything less is insulting!
It's not like there's a time limit on voting, just walk over to the booth and take your time! I'm so sick of this whole business of "Buchanan got some votes intended for Gore" because they couldn't figure out the ballot! What was the rush? Am I to believe that there are people that blindly punch holes in ballots without reading them? No, those people voted for Buchanan, and somebody else picked it up as a way to raise public ire and cast doubt on the whole Florida election process.
I took over five minutes to read over every stinking ballot initiative on my legal-sized, two-sided ballot. I wanted to make absolutely sure I understood what I was voting for or against. I took my time and was careful.
Anything less shows just how cavalier that the average American takes their voting priveledges. By God's grace we were born in a country where we can vote for our leaders or on what we want our government to do. Anthing but patient and deliberate execution of that priveledge is inexcusable.