I Better Vote Tomorrow...

I do think they need a better voting method, and high-tech is not the way to go. This is what I would suggest:
  1. Elections should be held over an entire weekend or a Federal holiday (or even like a three-day weekend).
  2. All voting methods across the country are standardized and there is one kind of machine or manual ballot.
  3. Allow those registered to vote and allow for instant registration on the day of with proper documentation.
  4. After voting everyone marks their thumb with ink that can't be washed off and wears off after a few days. Many countries do this to ensure an individual only votes once. In those places that haven't had the right to vote for that long, they consider the "blue thumb" a source of pride.
I think we make it more complicated than it really needs to be. I don't know if my suggestions are feasible. It would require more manpower at the polls most likely. Still, it seems like these simple solutions would make things a lot easier.
 
I do think they need a better voting method, and high-tech is not the way to go. This is what I would suggest:
  1. Elections should be held over an entire weekend or a Federal holiday (or even like a three-day weekend).
  2. All voting methods across the country are standardized and there is one kind of machine or manual ballot.
  3. Allow those registered to vote and allow for instant registration on the day of with proper documentation.
  4. After voting everyone marks their thumb with ink that can't be washed off and wears off after a few days. Many countries do this to ensure an individual only votes once. In those places that haven't had the right to vote for that long, they consider the "blue thumb" a source of pride.
I think we make it more complicated than it really needs to be. I don't know if my suggestions are feasible. It would require more manpower at the polls most likely. Still, it seems like these simple solutions would make things a lot easier.
Would also cost a lot of money to implement something like that across the thousands of counties in the U.S.

What about the people who work on the weekends. Retail workers commonly work Friday-Sunday.
 
It seems we are talking about different types of people, I'm speaking more about adults who are working and live in poor areas.
My ds is a community college student, and low income but he lives here at home. If he decides to move out I imagine he would have to crash at different friends houses in order to not be homeless. And since this was the first election he was eligible to vote in, he wouldn't be worrying about whether or not he was being taken off the voter rolls.

Community college student population is much more than traditional students. The average age of our student is 27, actually.
 
States have a right to decide their own voting rules. Same day voting. How do prevent fraud with that method??? I've never met a able bodied person that said they wanted to vote, but couldn't. If you feel that way you should take up with your state since it's a state issue. I happen to live in a state that makes voting easy. If it's not easy in your state maybe you need to vote in new people.
Seventeen states and District of Columbia have same day voter registration. There is no fraud.
 


Your argument doesn't make sense. Polling places are available to everyone, early voting is available in most states. I'm not sure how voting could be much easier. Do you expect people to come to your house or work place so you can vote. Life happens and if you can't vote you can't vote. I didn't not vote in 2014 because my mom had a major stroke and was in the hospital. Voting wasn't a priority at the time....no big deal. For the majority of people who want to vote they find a way. Does life sometimes inhibit you from voting? Of course and no one is going to hold this against you. My dh works nights he had to go to work with 3 hours sleep to vote today. It's never going to be easy for everyone, but if you want to vote you find a way. If you have a solution to making it easier....please do share. I really don't see how it could be much easier.

I know this is a loaded term, but "polling places are available to everyone" truly shows your privilege. And mine. I voted last week in early voting and at a polling place right next to my favorite restaurant. They had about a dozen polling consoles and it was super easy. Then yesterday I was a poll watcher at a different polling place near me, and it was, again, super easy for people. Ample parking, in a neighborhood where everyone drives, 6 polling booths for fewer than 500 people all day. Never a line of more than 2 or 3 people. At the end of the day they had only used more than half their ballot. There were 3 polling places within walking distance of my house.
At the county right next door - same state - they had to keep the polling places open two extra hours because for so many hours in the day they hadn't had ballots available - they ran out of ballots before the after work rush. How the heck does that happen? And you have many reports of polling places with only one booth, resulting in lines of hours just to vote. God bless the people that wait that long. I'm frankly not sure that I would. And you also have states that shut down many polling places "to save money" resulting in people who live over an hours drive away from their polling place.

Getting into the "whys" of all of that and examining which polling places are easy-peasy and which ones aren't is 100% veering into political territory, but it's inaccurate and disingenuous to say that polling places are available to everyone. It may be technically true, but the level of availability isn't remotely uniform, and 100% absolutely effects the results. If some of this were happening in a burgeoning democracy we'd be the first to be calling foul.
 
Would also cost a lot of money to implement something like that across the thousands of counties in the U.S.

What about the people who work on the weekends. Retail workers commonly work Friday-Sunday.

I know, but some things are worth it. As for people who work weekends, that's why it should be open for multiple days. I mean right now, you could say "what about people who work on weekdays?" It's just as inconvenient. The polls should be open for long hours over the entire weekend, and maybe even the Friday or Monday. I mean, it'll never be ideal for everyone, but I think that should cover the widest possible group.
 


I know, but some things are worth it. As for people who work weekends, that's why it should be open for multiple days. I mean right now, you could say "what about people who work on weekdays?" It's just as inconvenient. The polls should be open for long hours over the entire weekend, and maybe even the Friday or Monday. I mean, it'll never be ideal for everyone, but I think that should cover the widest possible group.
I'm not saying something isn't worth it. I'm saying where's the money coming from to homogenize the entire U.S. and it's thousands of counties.

You brought up that it should just be one type of voting method--so where's the money coming from to have every county in the U.S. to switch to a specific voting method? In my County they spent over $10.2 million dollars to get 2,100 new machines this year. My County is the weathliest county in the state. I can't see the rural and farming counties that make up the large part of my state being able to afford those machines even knowing they wouldn't need as many as we would due to population.

Where are the people coming from to help at the polling locations? Ones in my County are volunteer ones. They need to be able to work 12hours straight, are paid $110 per day ($135 if you're a supervisor) as well as $25 for the training. People who aren't volunteers but instead actual workers probably would want more than that for their time spent.

I really see no difference in your comment about moving it to the weekend and the way it is now. A variety of states also have laws regarding employers required to give time off (paid or unpaid depending on the state) in order to vote-it varies in terms of how many hours a person has to vote in terms of their shift and polling hours.

Etc, etc. I'm not saying some things can't be made easier. They can. In my County it's not amazingly difficult, we have early voting, absentee voting, mail-in ballots but we do have voter ID and we do have party affliation requirements but I'm all for a more realistic ways while realizing some things are just not feasible.
 
It is impossible to make it so super easy for every single citizen.
There will always groups of people inconvenienced whether we keep the current way, or change it to a different way.
Some things require an effort, and sadly too many complain that they may have to put forth one to do something important.
 
You don't have to go to the PO first of all, you can purchase stamps at the grocery store, and even the drug stores.
You can buy a book of stamps, rarely iindividual stamps. That $9.31 difference can easily mean you don't eat, or go toward some necessary bill.
What I found ignorant was your assumption that because a person was low income they were incapable of responding to a letter.
Who said incapable? More important issues superceding, sure.
 
And the vast majority of the American workforce work on Tuesday, which is election day now.

Maybe we should vote on it.
Eh..you're not really getting the point of my comment. A retail worker who is working the weekend would be put in the same position as someone who is working during the week. Young people often work those types of jobs.

What would make a difference is early voting, mail-in ballots, and absentee ballots.

The answer doesn't necessarily lie in shifting the inconvenience from one group of people to another group of people.
 
I know this is a loaded term, but "polling places are available to everyone" truly shows your privilege. And mine. I voted last week in early voting and at a polling place right next to my favorite restaurant. They had about a dozen polling consoles and it was super easy. Then yesterday I was a poll watcher at a different polling place near me, and it was, again, super easy for people. Ample parking, in a neighborhood where everyone drives, 6 polling booths for fewer than 500 people all day. Never a line of more than 2 or 3 people. At the end of the day they had only used more than half their ballot. There were 3 polling places within walking distance of my house.
At the county right next door - same state - they had to keep the polling places open two extra hours because for so many hours in the day they hadn't had ballots available - they ran out of ballots before the after work rush. How the heck does that happen? And you have many reports of polling places with only one booth, resulting in lines of hours just to vote. God bless the people that wait that long. I'm frankly not sure that I would. And you also have states that shut down many polling places "to save money" resulting in people who live over an hours drive away from their polling place.

Getting into the "whys" of all of that and examining which polling places are easy-peasy and which ones aren't is 100% veering into political territory, but it's inaccurate and disingenuous to say that polling places are available to everyone. It may be technically true, but the level of availability isn't remotely uniform, and 100% absolutely effects the results. If some of this were happening in a burgeoning democracy we'd be the first to be calling foul.

Exactly.

Yes, sometimes "life happens" and no one would look down on you for not voting in those cases. But sometimes, it's flat out DIFFICULT for people to vote and that should not be the case. I'm getting the vibe that those who do not see that do not wish to see that.

Here's a thought:
Making Election polling available for a week, maybe MORE than a week, at local post offices. Select days/times for that option to be available after hours, or for extended weekend hours. Continue to have polling places open on Election Day for the bulk of voting but provide the option for people to cast a vote a time and place that is more convenient, not crowded, not subject to malfunction to the extent that many polling places were yesterday.
 
I'm not saying something isn't worth it. I'm saying where's the money coming from to homogenize the entire U.S. and it's thousands of counties.

You brought up that it should just be one type of voting method--so where's the money coming from to have every county in the U.S. to switch to a specific voting method? In my County they spent over $10.2 million dollars to get 2,100 new machines this year. My County is the weathliest county in the state. I can't see the rural and farming counties that make up the large part of my state being able to afford those machines even knowing they wouldn't need as many as we would due to population.

Where are the people coming from to help at the polling locations? Ones in my County are volunteer ones. They need to be able to work 12hours straight, are paid $110 per day ($135 if you're a supervisor) as well as $25 for the training. People who aren't volunteers but instead actual workers probably would want more than that for their time spent.

I really see no difference in your comment about moving it to the weekend and the way it is now. A variety of states also have laws regarding employers required to give time off (paid or unpaid depending on the state) in order to vote-it varies in terms of how many hours a person has to vote in terms of their shift and polling hours.

Etc, etc. I'm not saying some things can't be made easier. They can. In my County it's not amazingly difficult, we have early voting, absentee voting, mail-in ballots but we do have voter ID and we do have party affliation requirements but I'm all for a more realistic ways while realizing some things are just not feasible.

Well, I'm just making suggestions.I mean, if they go with a low-tech solution it shouldn't cost all that much at all. Dip your thumb in ink and put thumbprints on the paper next to your votes. Of course, then it all has to be counted manually (though a lot of it is anyway). We'd need a level of civic engagement that we just don't have in this country to make this kind of thing work.
 

That is the same link the pp provided and when I click "read for free to read the entire 35 page (give or take) report it wants you to sign up for an account. I'm not willing and quite honestly I don't care enough to read the whole thing at this point, the election is over.

I see a whole lot of people here saying "in many places" you can't do this or that, like your book of stamps example. Nobody here is claiming things are 100% the same everywhere, however the excuses of why it is so hard to respond to a notice just get more and more ridiculous as the thread goes on. I highly doubt that every single person that received a notice was unable to get a hold of a single stamp to mail back a response. But hey if you think that is a real enough reason for people not to be able to respond I'm not going to argue with your feelings. It's a real shame the lack of credit some give people who make under a certain income level. Those people are capable of many things, things may be more of a hardship but it doesn't mean they are impossible for them to do though.
I'm not saying some things can't be made easier, but when you do that it will just become harder for someone else. Then the same arguments will follow, things will change and someone else will be more inconvenienced. So on and so on.
 
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There may or may not be reasonable reasons for people to not have responded to voting disenfranchisement notices, but that's not really the issue or questions.

Why *should* you kick people off the voting roles just because someone hasn't voted recently? To take away someone's most fundamental right, you'd better have a darn good reason. I haven't heard one.
 
I see a whole lot of people here saying "in many places" you can't do this or that, like your book of stamps example. Nobody here is claiming things are 100% the same everywhere, however the excuses of why it is so hard to respond to a notice just get more and more ridiculous as the thread goes on. I highly doubt that every single person that received a notice was unable to get a hold of a single stamp to mail back a response. But hey if you think that is a real enough reason for people not to be able to respond I'm not going to argue with your feelings. It's a real shame the lack of credit some give people who make under a certain income level. Those people are capable of many things, things may be more of a hardship but it doesn't mean they are impossible to do though.

I'm actually surprised by the credit people have in the postal system's change of address system, and state government's integration with that system to track voters through multiple moves (because that's what the states do to notify people, they rely on the postal system) and so it's not obvious to them that the issue isn't "lack of response" but "lack of actually receiving notification." The states send them out, but do they get to where they need to go? Especially, because usually people are dumping on both USPS and their government's ability to do something correctly and efficiently.
 
There may or may not be reasonable reasons for people to not have responded to voting disenfranchisement notices, but that's not really the issue or questions.

Why *should* you kick people off the voting roles just because someone hasn't voted recently? To take away someone's most fundamental right, you'd better have a darn good reason. I haven't heard one.

Their right isn't being taken away, they are being informed that they will be taken off the registration roll. They have the option of responding to that and not be taken off, or they have the option of not responding, being taken off and then re-register if they choose.
 
Their right isn't being taken away, they are being informed that they will be taken off the registration roll. They have the option of responding to that and not be taken off, or they have the option of not responding, being taken off and then re-register if they choose.

And if the warning was sent to Address #3 of a person, but they are living in Address #5, then what?
 

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