My county during Trump’s first run printed out ballots that didn’t have the choices printed on them, just a scannable QR code. That went away immediately and now you can see the choices you made…
Assuming the QR still on there says the same thing, anyways.
As long as there’s a physical ballot that gets checked by the voter as part of the process and then physically counted for the official result, voting machines can be a non-mistake.
Sure, but the fast unofficial result is what leads to a quick victory being declared for the wrong person, and then “they’re stealing the votes, stop the count” when the results “change” from what was on the TV.
Better to be slow and accurate, in my opinion.
But it’s also my opinion that elections should be a drop-in event for a week rather than a one-day bash, with no partial results until they’re all counted at the end, and by all I mean every district, and a moratorium on campaigning during the actual election week.
The all-night TV map can thrilling, like a sports final, but also probably part of the problem. I think it’s too exciting.
Especially in American elections, where the vote is in November, but nothing takes effect until the end of January, why does counting the votes need to be instant? You could take 2 weeks to count them, who cares, nothing changes that night anyway.
Sure, but the fast unofficial result is what leads to a quick victory being declared for the wrong person, and then “they’re stealing the votes, stop the count” when the results “change” from what was on the TV.
That’s caused by partial result announcements. Which would still happen with or without voting machines, given the way your elections are run. You could change that, but you probably won’t. Especially given you’d end up with conspiracy nonsense (“but what are they hiding?!?”) if you waited for the complete and official numbers - especially with the instant gratification people are programmed for these days. So damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
The legibility and consistency (and potentially streamlining voter throughput at the polls) is probably the much more important part, anyway. Not necessarily to the point of voting machines being a reasonable expense, I’d suggest, but the voting machine company lobbyists are effective if nothing else.
Right, 100% we get a paper ballot. My understanding from reading this was that she selected the Democrat for governor, got to the final “summary” screen and it showed the Republican as her selection. And this happened multiple times. All this before the paper ballot.
Personally, I think it’s user error. Unless it is a significant number of people reporting issues like this.
I dunno, the adage “the purpose of a bill is what it does,” comes to mind. This could be a glitch that, to republicans in charge of running the election, is a “feature, not a bug.”
Also in TN, and had no issues. Individual claims shouldn’t be taken seriously. If it were a mass number of complaints, that’s different.
Last thing we need is people not trusting the results.
There was something off about mine last time in TN. I think a final confirmation that didn’t pop up or a paper that didn’t print or something.
My county during Trump’s first run printed out ballots that didn’t have the choices printed on them, just a scannable QR code. That went away immediately and now you can see the choices you made…
Assuming the QR still on there says the same thing, anyways.
tl;dr voting machines will always be a mistake.
As long as there’s a physical ballot that gets checked by the voter as part of the process and then physically counted for the official result, voting machines can be a non-mistake.
But if it’s counted physically, then what does the machine provide that paper and pencil haven’t for a hundred years?
A fast unofficial result, and a legible and consistent printed ballot to be counted.
Sure, but the fast unofficial result is what leads to a quick victory being declared for the wrong person, and then “they’re stealing the votes, stop the count” when the results “change” from what was on the TV.
Better to be slow and accurate, in my opinion.
But it’s also my opinion that elections should be a drop-in event for a week rather than a one-day bash, with no partial results until they’re all counted at the end, and by all I mean every district, and a moratorium on campaigning during the actual election week.
The all-night TV map can thrilling, like a sports final, but also probably part of the problem. I think it’s too exciting.
Especially in American elections, where the vote is in November, but nothing takes effect until the end of January, why does counting the votes need to be instant? You could take 2 weeks to count them, who cares, nothing changes that night anyway.
That’s caused by partial result announcements. Which would still happen with or without voting machines, given the way your elections are run. You could change that, but you probably won’t. Especially given you’d end up with conspiracy nonsense (“but what are they hiding?!?”) if you waited for the complete and official numbers - especially with the instant gratification people are programmed for these days. So damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
The legibility and consistency (and potentially streamlining voter throughput at the polls) is probably the much more important part, anyway. Not necessarily to the point of voting machines being a reasonable expense, I’d suggest, but the voting machine company lobbyists are effective if nothing else.
Do yall not get a printed paper ballot from the machine that you then review and turn in?
Obviously we have to account for the lowest common denominators; those who are so uncritical they would not review the printed ballot.
But still, it’s not like the machine is sending your votes in over the internet… right?!
Right, 100% we get a paper ballot. My understanding from reading this was that she selected the Democrat for governor, got to the final “summary” screen and it showed the Republican as her selection. And this happened multiple times. All this before the paper ballot.
Personally, I think it’s user error. Unless it is a significant number of people reporting issues like this.
I dunno, the adage “the purpose of a bill is what it does,” comes to mind. This could be a glitch that, to republicans in charge of running the election, is a “feature, not a bug.”