Written by The new ballot system, that requires taking an oath, is simply not working.
The elections office reports that they are throwing away one out of every four ballots they receive because the voter did not execute the oath correctly.
My view is that if someone goes to the effort to register to vote, and then votes, we ought to count it. Heavens knows we already have a problem with people not bothering to vote.
California had a fine system three decades ago, when I registered to vote for the first time, and as far as I know the system still works. You register as a democrat, or republican, or independent at the time of voter registration, and they give you the right ballot for election day. If it’s a partisan primary, you chose a candidate from the party you identified when you registered. If it’s a general election, you chose whoever you want….the best candidate. It’s understood that millions of voters in the general election often chose a candidate from a different party than they registered with. That’s why the candidates have to campaign so hard. This system is simple, and everyone who votes gets their vote counted.
Our state has been struggling with voting for too long… if we keep this up, no one will have confidence in our elections office anymore.
I hope the legislature takes a hard look at this process.
Randy,
One shouldn’t be able to hop sides an pick the canidate for the opposition.
Imagine if a bunch of us “Nasty Republicans(tm)” hopped sides and made the Democrats pick Hillary knowing that dead baby road-kill could win against her.
It’s almost like putting words in the Democrat’s mouth.
It comes back to “Freedom of Association” and the Democrats should be free to not me associated with me! Just as I should be free to not be associated with them!
As a side note: Why in the hell can’t the Democrats pick someone to run that can get elected. I’ve had to put up with eight years of my Democrat friends telling me that Bush is borderline retarded, and YET they still can’t beat him. If they can’t run (twice) against an mumbling chimp that has marionette wires all the way back to the Illumanati, then either their premise is in jest or something is wrong with the kool-aid at the DNC.
Please… get an annalysis on the kool-aid! I like you Randy!
I’ve thought about the hopping-sides concern, and I know it’s been discussed on the debate on this topic. But in practice, I don’t think it really happens very much. I think it just goes against people’s hard wiring….
For instance, suppose a republican registers as a democrat, to try to win Hillary the nomination, because they think McCain could beat her more easily…
Our republican now has to select Hillary in the ballot…which in the end, might be one of those decisions that feels like jumping off a bridge to them. They may want to logically select Hillary, but they can’t get their arm to physically fill in the box or pull the lever…in a sweat, primitive instinct takes over…they become concerned she may win it all, and they will have voted for her….panic sets in, and they demand a republican ballot. Breathing easier now, they fill in McCaine….calm sets in…the world is one…even if McCaine loses, this republican will sleep without shame….
I’m teasing a little for effect, but I think this is kind of how it works.
Ah but Randy…
You’re assume to much 😉
You assume we Republicans have some sort of brain capable of making complex and rational decisions. I assure you that our motivations are based purely on the checks that Haliburton sends to us 😉
I agree that the problem of switching sides is rare! Most people are motivated by positive feelings!
It’s just there’s a visceral part of me that doesn’t like others telling me what my candidate should be. I don’t like others putting “words in my mouth”, even if they are ineffective.
In the 80’s – Pat Buchaninon orchestrated busloads of people to descend on the Republican caucuses here in Washington. I felt cheated, even though they eventually lost.
Bush was lucky. Lucky to have been installed in office the first time by the Supreme Court, lucky to have capitalized upon 9/11, lucky to have been able to sell th war in Iraq using bogus claims, and of course, lucky to have had Cheney and Rove directing policy.
sorru, posted to the wrong thread. Doh!
Looks like Bush was lucky again 🙂
His critics just can’t get it together 😉
Sorry Randy, I mint to say Pat Robertson!
It was horrible!
The Robertson supporters were taking over by the buss load- and the majority of the ones have this “mind-numb” glazed look about them. I was in Issaquah at the time – and before the busloads of them showed up, the caucus was a fun and rowdy. Then we spent the rest of the time dealing with the boring and single minded drones that wanted to get the vote over with so they could get back on the bus.
Even some of the natural Robertson supporters stopped after that experience – if that was the way his campaign wanted to win, then it really cast doubts on his sincerity.
“Issue voters” are horrible and no fun!