Voting

Okay, so to be honest, I really meant to update sooner. However, Condi is going to have to wait a bit I'm afraid because other shorter comments (I think) are demanding attention.

Today's commentary is in regards to a lovely (accurate) article by the NYT (New York Times)...link is below and the title is "Influx of Voters Likely to Test New Machines."
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/us/21voting.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

My first response - a candid one - is "no kidding," or if you prefer, "really, you don't say?"

Okay so beyond that. There are several very concerning points raised in the article.

1) Millions of new voters + many new (and untried) machines = problem. Now I'm not a math person, really ask anyone who knows me, but that's a fairly straightforward and concerning equation. New voters, a very good thing indeed, and new machines are not necessarily bad, but there are so many possible areas where a significant meltdown could occur that I'm skeptical. It is also true I'm not always an optimist, but even optimists should probably admit there is some potential for real concern.

2) 11 states will use new machines, 55% of voters will use the paper ballot and optical scan as opposed to touch screens, a national shift is occuring here. I see the problem with touch screens certainly, but aren't paper ballots sometimes confusing?

3) Poll workers, or as you're probably already thinking "lack thereof." Yes, a major issue, but as far as resolving it. Forgive me for being "radical" here, yes radical, make ELECTION DAY a frekin' national holiday. God forbid, I mean we have it to celebrate famous people. Okay, so some stores are open, very true, what about just half a day open or close. In fact it could be a county level, a city level or something as such.
For example, Martin Luther King...the man had "a dream" and if honored appropriately we could all go vote :) at some point.
Fancy that...I mean actually having time to go vote. The argument against, people would go fishing instead, commune with nature, spend time with the kids (not a bad thing).

4) Another problem raised, having enough ballots. Now that is a problem, because if you don't have enough ballots, then people can't vote. Pretty concerning. There's not a whole lot to say on this problem, just at least they realize there are more people registering to vote. The question "will the system work for each voter....and can the system handle the load of voters." It varies by state of course, and polling station. While it is exciting for lots of new voters to be out and about, it's good to pre-empt them, if you know what I mean. Yeah it's called planning ahead, something that some aspects of our government don't do a fairly impressive job of. cough cough*

5) Voter identification, will all new registered voters be on the lists and in databases? One thing you or any voting citizen should do, (or shouldn't) is wait until the last minute to check up on things. I'm going to try and be a responsible citizen and make sure my paperwork (absentee) is all set before school. Maybe that's an obvious choice of action, but it is my first presidential election and I'm so excited already that I can barely stand it. I won't get to the convention in August in Denver (sadly I have other committments, ones that I'm equally excited about). But if this was a Star Trek universe I would be going back and forth believe me.

The bottom line is that already Americans are ready to turn out and vote. Maybe in some states, your vote is not the deciding one, in fact collective action offers reasons why people won't vote. However, it's not always about that, if you can, why not participate in a democracy? We're far from perfect, but there are many people (including friends of mine in London) who remember times in their own countries where voting was not really present, or if it is, it's far from legitimate. For others, at home women can't vote. Shame on us women if we don't go vote. Sort of, I mean there is no rule that you have to vote, and there shouldn't be. There should be no voting incentives either. It is a choice, and when I say that I mean it. If you don't want to you are exercising a democratic right NOT to vote (but do it anyway :)

It's a historic election, and I sincerely hope I will get/keep my act together this fall to create my own personal online commentary that I will have years later remembering (and I will post mini Midd updates also as excuses for why I can't post every day :)

Until next time....