We’ve suggested that our friends at Why Tuesday? change their tagline (“Fixing our voting system, one question at a time”) for what seems to us an obvious reason. They’re doing good work so far on their new video blog site, but given the topics they’re dealing with, we’d suggest our system is already “fixed” enough thanks.
That said, they recently issued a candidate challenge to all of the presidential candidates, asking them to respond to three specific questions concerning their plans for Election Reform.
We’re hoping in the near future, they will add the following question to their challenge: “Do you support a paper ballot — not a ‘paper trail’ or a ‘paper record,’ but a paper ballot, and one that is actually counted — for every vote cast in America?”
In the meantime, we’d encourage those of you out there going to candidate events (both Republican and Democrat) to ask such a question of the candidates if you can, and capture it on video. Do that, and send us the clip (or a link to it on YouTube, etc.) and we’ll get it up on The BRAD BLOG, and perhaps even on Why Tuesday? as well.
So far, the first response they’ve been able to get to their challenge is from Joe Biden when WT?’s Exec. Director Jacob Soboroff ran into him recently at a D.C. coffee shop. Biden’s comments are at the right.
We’ll note that, while not asked about it specifically, he first refers to a “paper trail,” but later refers to a “paper ballot” and wants a standardized system used across the country. He also mentions that full public financing of presidential and congressional elections will do more than anything to reform the system as he sees it. Let us know what you think.
It’s far from their first response. Check out all of the Why Tuesday videos at Youtube.
I share Sen Biden’s skepticism that changing the voting day to the weekend or to a national holiday will succeed in increasing our abysmal turnout. I hope that it will help but I would like to see evidence supporting this.
Despite this I have signed the Why Tuesday pledge. Jacob’s creativity, energy, and positive attitude doesn’t hurt.
Here is a summary of findings from a cross country study on voter turnout:
AAV said:
Twas their first response to their video candidate challenge to the Presidential Candidates. As you correctly point out, they’ve got other videos with other officials, and such. All worth checking out.
Thanks for saying BALLOTS Joe.
“Do you support a paper ballot — not a “paper trail” or a “paper record,” but a paper ballot, and one that is actually counted — for every vote cast in America?”
The only way “every vote” can ever be counted is to abolish the electoral college.
which BTW would also raise up the percentage of voters better than anything else could.
Most people don’t bother voting because they know if they are a democrat in a red state and visa versa then their vote doesn’t count anyway and never will.
Abolish the EC
Destroy all electronic voting machines and cast only paper ballots counted by hand.
FORCE the MSM to give equal time to ALL candidates.
Make it law that all campaign funds are 100% federally funded by tax payers where each candidate gets exactly the same amount and can not go one penny over.
Force all broadcasters to give exactly the same amount of free airtime to every candidate with the stipulation that each candidate can only talk about THEMSELVES & what their plan is. No more bullshit lying attack ads.
Hold elections over 3 days Fri-Sat-Sun and have mandatory exit polls taken but can not mention them until polls close on Sunday
Then you will have the best chance for honest elections with much larger turnouts.
Why isn’t election day a paid holiday? The most important day of the year? Then we could watch the polls more closely. I blame both parties for election day not being a national holiday.