As a Brit living in America I am not entitled to comment on most of the points
in
this argument, but I would like to say a few things:
a) People in America apparently vote with machines and not just machines,
but machines of a type (card punch) which was being retired when
I started work nearly 20 years ago. What is wrong with good old fashioned pencil
and paper?
This definitely creates an educational qualification for being part of the
electorate. (Not
to mention a physical one!)
b) Mail-in ballots are allowed to be posted after the polling places are
closed - in this state (WA) until midnight on November 7th
c) Polling stations close at a ridiculously early hour - apparently usually
6p.m. or 7pm. This
does not allow much time for working people to get home to vote. I suppose you
could say
that they could always get a mail-in ballot or take time off work, but they
shouldn't have to -
it should be possible to hold down a job and go to the polls.
d) Results from some states are announced before the polls have even closed in
others. In the case of
this state this year, the first results from the east coast were being called
(not always accurately!) at
least an hour before the polls closed.
e) Apparently in this nation so proud of separation of church and state some
people vote in churches.
What about those who are not of that faith?
All of the above seem so anti-democratic, that my faith in the whole system
would be severely
tested even without the whole shenanigans in Florida.
Rachel
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