major circulation, major market; (good exposure)

[annabanana]

FIND, FIX '04 VOTING FLAWS
Charges of irregularities abound. Did the ‘Help America Vote Act’ help?
http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-vpele274056997no...
November 27, 2004


The confidence of voters in the integrity of the nation's election system lies at the very heart of our republic. So it is encouraging to learn that the nonpartisan, highly professional Government Accountability Office has agreed to investigate the numerous reported glitches in the 2004 election. The investigation won't change the election results, but it can go a long way toward reassuring Americans that voting is a true exercise in democracy, not in futility.

-snip-
Both the original letter and one sent Nov. 8 detailed a few of the many anomalies in the election: An electronic system in Ohio gave President George W. Bush an extra 3,893 votes in a district where fewer than 700 voters actually cast ballots. Voters using electronic machines in Ohio, Florida and other states tried to vote for Sen. John Kerry, but the machines seemed to be recording their votes for Bush. Citizens in some parts of Ohio stood in line for endless hours.

-sip-
This page believes it's time for a constitutional amendment that both does away with the Electoral College and allows Congress to set national standards for federal elections. One useful standard would be a requirement that each election district have a minimum number of machines for each increment of registered voters, so that we won't ever again have to witness lines so long that they keep people from performing the most basic duty of democracy.

[RPM]

1. Electoral college may be last line of defense

Really - despite the gore situation a few years ago. Quite simply, it can help contain vote padding. If you pad one area by 1M votes (outrageous, but bear with me) it would still only win the electoral votes within the state, Take away the electoral college, and that padding may go to have a more direct impact on the national vote.

If anything, perhaps slicing each state up into 'electoral districts' might be helpful in further containing any future shenanigans - it could have in Ohio this last election.

The most tinkering that should be done with the EC is making it as close to one elector to x number of people as possible - what stinks is when montana gets 1 elector for 200k people and CA gets 1 for 600k people....

[prodigal_green]

2. direct elections

the electoral college is outmoded and absurd. This entire election was geared toward a few swing states. Urban issues were all but ignored.

There was depressed turnout in some of the very blue states because folks just thought they lived in a "safe" state.

[RPM]

3. absurd

not when there is the risk of fraudulant elections - I imagine that, along with a general concern of the populace mindlessly electing a sweepingly popluar person, were the two concerns that the founding fathers had in mind when they added this check to the electoral system. It has a very prctical application - perhaps it needs ironing out, but disposing of it altogether may be throwing out the baby with the bath water.

[brindis_desala]

4. It was done to appease the slave holding states

Once you concede that there WILL be fraudulent elections the exercise is moot. Many Americans do not vote because they feel shut out of the process, plus we are stuck with a system that can be rigged by simply targeting a handful of states.
And without a free and diligent press.
http://denvervoice.org/features/Nov_2004/who_is_the_denver_post.htm

[IAMREALITY]

5. RPM, I agree with you completely

Those that call for an end to the electoral college simply just don't understand it enough. The electoral college itself is an ingenius concept, though it does (as everything does) have its flaws. There should be more rigorous standards and loophole fixing, but throwing the electoral college away completely would just be reckless and IMHO indicitave of those that don't truly understand the process.

[Woody Box]

7. One man, one vote

The electoral college system violates the fundamental rule that every vote has the same value. A vote in Wyoming has more weight than a vote in New York, for instance.

The system is obsolete. Elections should be equal, secret, and direct,

[IAMREALITY]

8. As per my post

"The electoral college system violates the fundamental rule that every vote has the same value. A vote in Wyoming has more weight than a vote in New York, for instance."

This clearly shows there is no doubt those that agree with above need a more thorough understanding of what the electoral college stands for and why it exists. This quote in no way accurately reflects the fundamentals of why the electoral college exists.

[Woody Box]

9. Can you elaborate?

You don't seem to dismiss my claim, so what are the fundamental advantages of the electoral college I don't understand?

[IAMREALITY]

11. I'm not here to be a Professor. You've got Google, Use It. N/T

[Woody Box]

6. link not working!? nT

nT

[kitp]

10. link

Here is the Link

Although I appreciate every article that speaks on the problems with the election, I still drives me nuts that they MUST start it by saying that this will have no effect on the outcome of the election.

Oh, well.