voting methods in the US

[Longreach747]

i'm interested to know the different methods for voting in the US, i hear that all the states have vastly different methods, what state does what is what i'd like to know.

here we have a list of candidates on a form, you put a number in the the box from 1-10 for the lower house makring all boxes in your prefered order, for the upper house you just put 1 number in the box of your prefered party/candidate.

i've seen a few of the methods for the US and it looks totally confusing. so who does what??

this is the method being used in York, Pennsylvania.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/vote/small/5_05_sm.jpg

[babypurin]

this is the method being used in York, Pennsylvania.

http://americanhistory.si.edu/vote/small/5_05_sm.jpg

Yep, those voting booths are from the 50's are not only old and falling apart, they are also very confusing. Hopefully soon NY will upgrade to some newer technology.

[Flying High]

You may as well ask people about quantum physics, since no one here has figured out how those goddamn machines and ballots work!!! :P :P

[Longreach747]

You may as well ask people about quantum physics, since no one here has figured out how those goddamn machines and ballots work!!! :P :P

that's what i figured, i've been trying to find out what different systems are used, i'd have thought they would have just one uniform system?!?

[Van Hoolio]

Here's what my ballot looks like:

http://auditor.co.polk.ia.us/election/04_general/style16.pdf

Ever since I've voted, they have had this style of ballot. It's a huge two-sided paper card that gets read by a scanning machine, sort of like tests in school. All you have to do is complete the line, about as simple as it gets.


Mike

[assghanistan]

i guess florida's not planning on using the punch ballot again......

[Flying High]

You may as well ask people about quantum physics, since no one here has figured out how those goddamn machines and ballots work!!! :P :P

that's what i figured, i've been trying to find out what different systems are used, i'd have thought they would have just one uniform system?!?

Here, in the US, there are as many voting systems as counties and independent cities are in the country, and there are 3130 of them here, so you have an idea what a goddamn mess the election are here!!!

But trying to establish a streamlined voting system for a country of 50 states, 9.6 million sq km; those 3130 counties and independent cities, and thousands upon thousands of cities, towns, villages and unincorporated populated places; and almost 295 million people, of which 210 million are eligible to vote and 190 million are actually registered to vote would be extraordinarily cost-prohibitive, so there's quite a catch-22 there.

[matt1168]

Well, a while ago they had sheets of paper and hole punchers ... that didn't work out too well because it was an age-old system, and people could easily vote for more than once, or punch wrong.

Last election they got those voting machines which look like they're from the 50's, but supposedly they're "new".

[FlyCharlestonSC]

The way it works in many parts of the United States is that someone punches in a vote and it automatically goes to Bush or Nadar, even if the vote was not intended to be for them. In South Carolina, there are computerized, accurate voting machines. These count the votes correctly, as everyone votes for Bush anyway.


jk!

[MemphisBelle]

Mine was a "color in the bubble" form, and the presidental election area, was the only part that had more than one canidate to choose from. Stupid state of Mississippi!

[MD11Forever]

Mine also was a "color the bubble" type, once completed you feed the sheet into an electronic reader which counts your vote. If for some reason any part of your ballot was not read properly it will spit the sheet back out.
Seemed simple enough to understand, and the entire process took me about 10 minutes this afternoon- from the time I walked into the place until I was out.
A friend of mine went first thing this morning and waited for 1 1/2 hours...and I suspect that those voting this evening after work will find long lines.

[Genessee]

The way it works in many parts of the United States is that someone punches in a vote and it automatically goes to Bush or Nadar, even if the vote was not intended to be for them. In South Carolina, there are computerized, accurate voting machines. These count the votes correctly, as everyone votes for Bush anyway.
jk!

I was at futureshop today to check out car stereos, they had cnn on some televisions and there was a woman on it about how she had voted for varioius people (Kerry and such) and the confirmation screen had switch all her votes to other candidates. Sounded kinda funny. Whats wrong with paper anyway!?

I couldn't trust a computerized voting system that nerds on slash-dot have figured out how to hack. (Unless they've changed the security...which would probably suck as well )

[FlyCharlestonSC]

Yeah...also...they put Kerry at the bottom of the list and you have to scroll down the screen to get his name. My grandparents had to have someone help them. Just think of all the old people who voted for Bush because they couldn't find Kerry's name in the computer!!!


Don't get me wrong...Bush would win SC either way...it just isn't right though.

[FlyingPhotog]

At our polling place in TX we just bubble in our choice next to our candidate like on a Scantron at school.

[Genessee]

At our polling place in TX we just bubble in our choice next to our candidate like on a Scantron at school.

I like the ballots here, its a black sheet with white writing. You fill in the white circle beside the name so its all black.

No lines to go outside of and screw up, if its all black its good!