it's the system, stoopid
Oct. 25th, 2008 11:27 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jawnbcOn the eve of what may well be an historic election in the US, already there is chatter about electoral fraud, vote rigging, and other pernicious activities. Were this an emerging democracy--or a faux one, like many ex-Soviet nations--that would be understandable though not acceptable.
But in the US, whose system of governance revolutionized the world for nearly 3 centuries? Tragic, inexcusable...and fixable.
They're called Electoral Commissions. The US needs some. Stat.
Most modern, pluralistic democracies have them. (like this one, and that one, and that one, and that one too....even that one). Many have multiples ones, for national and regional/provincial/state/territorial elections. The premise is simple: have a non-partisan, independent, arms-length quasi-governmental agency administer democracy. Electoral Commissions coordinate voter registration, elections, and--most importantly--vote counting. Many also coordinate the redrawing of electoral maps when population changes make such changes desirable.
In the US system this would mean all states need one. And not "bi-partisan" ones, like in New York State. Non-partisan.
Get these up and running and the bullshit will end will be reduced.
But in the US, whose system of governance revolutionized the world for nearly 3 centuries? Tragic, inexcusable...and fixable.
They're called Electoral Commissions. The US needs some. Stat.
Most modern, pluralistic democracies have them. (like this one, and that one, and that one, and that one too....even that one). Many have multiples ones, for national and regional/provincial/state/territorial elections. The premise is simple: have a non-partisan, independent, arms-length quasi-governmental agency administer democracy. Electoral Commissions coordinate voter registration, elections, and--most importantly--vote counting. Many also coordinate the redrawing of electoral maps when population changes make such changes desirable.
In the US system this would mean all states need one. And not "bi-partisan" ones, like in New York State. Non-partisan.
Get these up and running and the bullshit
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no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 08:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-25 10:32 pm (UTC)http://www.elections.ca/home.asp
And each province and territory has its own for provincial elections.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-26 02:30 am (UTC)Do you really mean to say that they don't have Electoral Commissions for ensuring the fair counting, registering and de-duplication of ballots / votes?
That smacks / reeks of hypocrisy when you hear the US view on rigged elections such as Zimbabwe, with Robert Mugabe et al....
Scary - and very, very sad...
no subject
Date: 2008-10-26 08:50 pm (UTC)