Why So Many Different Modes Of Voting?

[Ron]

I understand that the way Elections are held in the States can be different from State to State, why is that?

I would think with the problems of 2000 & other elections that they would go to one form of uniform voting and stick to it.

In Canada, all our voting is on paper so there is a trail.

All candidates are listed alphabetically & there is a circle beside each name.
Each voter is given a pencil & one vote, they go behind a partition & mark thier vote.

They then go back to an official at a table that has the ballot box on it.
The folded vote is then inserted into the box by the voter.

Served us well for over a hundred years!

Do you think there should be a simplified, unified voting system in the US, or are you sastisfied?

[MikeinAR]

I think the new touchscreen machines are great. We've used them for two elections now and as you vote, there is a paper receipt that records the vote over in a little compartment that you can see through. You can verify on paper what the machine has captured in addition to seeing a screen with all of your final votes before you hit the cast button. If there's a problem it's very easy to go back and change votes or whatever you need to do.

They're very popular with people around here.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by MikeinAR

I think the new touchscreen machines are great. We've used them for two elections now and as you vote, there is a paper receipt that records the vote over in a little compartment that you can see through. You can verify on paper what the machine has captured in addition to seeing a screen with all of your final votes before you hit the cast button. If there's a problem it's very easy to go back and change votes or whatever you need to do.

They're very popular with people around here.

If it is so good (it sounds interesting) why don't all States use it?

[MikeinAR]

Originally Posted by Ron

If it is so good (it sounds interesting) why don't all States use it?

As most things, it comes down to funding. The federal government did put a lot of $$ into the system after the mess in 2000, but obviously in higher population states and cities, it would take a huge chunk to totally convert to the machines.

I think they are definitely the way of the future, but it's paying for them.

[Ferd]

Ron, in America voting is generally governed first at the local level, then at the state level, and then with federal requirement via mandates.... believe it or not, its a kind of quirk related to the U. S. Constitution.

So these things evolved in different locations differently. We dont have a standard thruout the nation. But I do agree with you that a paper trail ought to be main requirement.

I have some issues with using computer or internet voting because of the potential fraud. it is much more difficult to mess up a paper trail....


this might be one of the very few areas where I would agree to a single federal standard.

[Ron]

Thanks for the info.