I’m sure that there’s a large number of folks in the country that would have a hard time knowing how to vote properly if they were given the option of simply raising either their left or right hands for the candidate of their choice.
In my part of the world, per the federal law implemented following the 2000 elections, local politicos have chosen to use the “eSlate” system, by a company known as Hart Intercivic. To anyone who’s ever used an iPod, PDA, or anything similar could not possibly have any difficulty in operating it. Here’s an easy to navigate demo of the eSlate machines, and frankly it couldn’t be easier.
Ahh. But now we have the problem of the geezer/technophobe/idiot (not all members of a particular group are part of all) portion of society that freak out or just get hacked off by not having the “good ole days” of the punchcard ballot back. Bottom line, there’s always something that someone’s not going to like about the way we cast ballots.
In reality, voting requires our attention to detail. It requires us to consider our candidates and issues closely prior to Election Day, and the way our ballot is cast is also demanding. I am perfectly capable of casting a ballot via whatever means the local Election Commission requires, and have done so since I was 17 (ok, so I registered and voted in the 1992 Presidential election by absentee, as I would be 18 on October 30, 1992, and away at college on election day). So, I’ve voted for 15 years, and have cast ballots on 1.) paper, 2.) mechanical lever machines, 3.) paper punchcard ballots, 4.) the previously standard Shouptronic machines, and 5.) by this new eSlate pure electronic machine. Every time before I cast my ballot, regardless of the means of doing so, I review my ballot at least 3 times. This gives me the assurance that I have cast my vote as intended.
For crying out loud, people. Don’t bitch and moan on Election Day that you don’t understand, or that it’s not fair. Get your repsective heads out of your respective …(calming down)…and get educated BEFORE you vote. It’s not complicated.
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Categories: Election 2006
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November 7th, 2006 at 12:33:24 pm
Heh. Amen.
November 7th, 2006 at 12:37:27 pm
Hey, the machine was easy. The question was hard (here in MD):
(Amending Article IV-Judiciary Department)
This constitutional amendment establishes the right of a party who did not request in banc review by the circuit court to appeal an adverse decision by the in banc court to the State’s intermediate appellate court, the Court of Special Appeals. The amendment provides that a party in a circuit court trial conducted by less than three circuit court judges is eligible for in banc review. The amendment establishes that three judges of a circuit court constitute a circuit court in banc. The amendment repeals the authority of the circuit courts to regulate the rules governing in banc circuit court appeals, and establishes that the Maryland Rules are to provide the procedure for such appeals. The amendment also eliminates obsolete language pertaining to writs of error from this provision of the Constitution.
For the Constitutional Amendment
Against the Constitutional Amendment
November 7th, 2006 at 12:52:01 pm
This is a “problem” here. The only problem, of course, is that most of the Democratic voters in this state are elderly people who didn’t bother to take the time to go practice on one of these machines. They’ve had time since January to practice, since we used them for our primaries in May, too.
So, I figure, the only people who are complaining are the ones who didn’t take the time in the last 10 months to figure out how they work!
Honestly, my 3 year old could do it!
November 7th, 2006 at 12:53:51 pm
Oh, Jay, you’re just being such a … a … a Republican !
(grin)
November 7th, 2006 at 1:34:12 pm
Yeah, we’ve got these newfangled electronic gizmos in our precinct this year. I could tell that the voter ahead of me was confused - there was white-out on the screen!
November 7th, 2006 at 1:54:40 pm
Not being a Republican (though I used to think I was absolutely one), just trying to be an Anti-Idiotarian. I mean c’mon. At my polling place, they have a demo model that they’ll help you with prior to actually voting.
There has to be some individual responsibility somewhere, right?
November 7th, 2006 at 2:20:30 pm
There has to be some individual responsibility somewhere, right?
Apparently you are not a Democrat either….
November 7th, 2006 at 2:40:35 pm
Jay - you are just confirming my estimate of you ! (grin)
November 7th, 2006 at 3:51:38 pm
the issue I have with electronic voting, given what I do on a day to day basis, is more reliability than it is problems using the machine. I mean what kind of lame answer is sometimes the screens get out of sync. The only reason that would happen is if you were trying to commit fraud or you are the worlds worst programer. The thing is, what they are trying to do is not a difficult task but it is one that is fraught with potential problems and places where fraud can be committed or hacking can take place.
November 7th, 2006 at 5:45:50 pm
This machine has two flaws, one major one minor.
Major flaw: No paper trail. Print out the ballot and put it in a box. seriously, its not hard to make human AND machine readable printouts.
Minor flaw: A navigation wheel?? Definitely not the most intuitive way to navigate. It should have a directional bad like a NES controller or something.