[EM] Voting machines

[MIKE OSSIPOFF]

>Here's an interesting way of looking at the recent American
>Presidential election.  Most Americans votes are tabulated by
>machines.  The two most common types, according to Time magazine (Nov
>27, 2000) are punch card reader 34% and optical scanner 27%.
>
>Punch cards are the famous "hanging chad" style.  You line up a card
>of punch holes with the names of the candidates and punch out the
>corresponding hole.  However, voting machines tend to reject a lot of
>votes.  As well, this results in more voting errors due to the need
>for correctly lining up the two cards (apparently especially by the
>elderly).
>
>For the optical scanner you fill in a small circle by the candidate's
>name, using a pencil.  Since there is no need to line up two cards,
>there is less voter error.  If the voter notices an error, they may
>simply erase the bubble, rather than having to ask for a new card.  As
>well, there is less machine error.
>
>Now, it's pretty clear that a district using an optical scanner is
>doing better for its residents than one using punch cards.  More votes
>will be accurately counted for the intended candidate.  This
>difference could actually decide the winner in a close election.
>
>Punch cards have one advantage, price.  Since in the US, the
>districts buy their own machines, richer districts can afford top-of
>the line, first class democracy.  So, in the US, voting power is
>partly tied to wealth.  This helps out the Republicans, and is quite
>possible the reason that George W. Bush is now President Elect.

There were 10,000 or 20,000 rejected ballots. No one was allowed
to even look at those ballots before the Presidency was given to Bush.
So I'd say that it's more than possible that Bush was "elected"
by the rejected ballots. Of course the punchcard districts were
the poor districts, disproportionately Black districts and
districts that favored Gore over Bush by a very wide margin.

This farce has made a joke of 1-person-1-vote, and the equal
protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution isn't
perfect (with its Plurality voting & electoral college, for instance),
but it would still be nice if those who run things would abide by it.

Even if we ignore the absurdity of the Plurality method and the
electoral college, this outcome shows that we don't really have even
the pretense of democracy.

Mike Ossipoff





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