General Discussion

Donald Ian Rankin

(13,598 posts) Fri May 17, 2013, 07:53 AM May 2013

You want to strengthen democracy? Get rid of elections. [View all]

The idea that all votes must be cast on the same day, or at least that if you want to vote on other days you have to jump through extra hoops to do it, is a weird one.

Rather than having an election, declare October to be "election month". Turnout would rocket, voter suppression would be much, much harder, and the cost of keeping polling booths open would be a negligible fraction of the money already spent on electioneering.

39 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

You want to strengthen democracy? Get rid of elections. [View all] Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 OP

I like the idea. Little Star May 2013 #1

Or make election day a holiday el_bryanto May 2013 #2

Or vote by mail... truebluegreen May 2013 #3

Voting by mail is still a hoop to jump through. Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #5

Doesn't Oregon (or maybe Washington) already do this? truebluegreen May 2013 #8

Both Oregon and Washington vote by mail. Oregon has done so for a longer time. Bluenorthwest May 2013 #26

Thought so. Thanks! nt truebluegreen May 2013 #36

Why would anyone want to go to a polling station? That is a hoop to jump through. Bluenorthwest May 2013 #15

Actually, one of the early Church's first "solutions" was to turn down 4-yr elections UTUSN May 2013 #4

That's how we do it in Oregon, and in Washington. We vote by mail. We have about 2 weeks with our Bluenorthwest May 2013 #6

Sounds like the perfect system. Nye Bevan May 2013 #10

It is a very good system. No system is perfect all have flaws and weaknesses but this one works Bluenorthwest May 2013 #19

Or, your Ward Leader, Union Head, Boss can pick up your paper ballot.... brooklynite May 2013 #35

So you're saying that being a Master Forger will be a job requirement truebluegreen May 2013 #37

You assume that vote fruad is limited to stealing votes... brooklynite May 2013 #38

I don't assume that at all. truebluegreen May 2013 #39

Election Day as a national holiday Half-Century Man May 2013 #7

But even on national holidays people still have to work. truebluegreen May 2013 #11

Less people would vote if it were a holiday Capt. Obvious May 2013 #13

Here in Oregon, one can simply take one's ballot to the beach or wherever, vote there and drop it Bluenorthwest May 2013 #20

Then there's no need for a holiday Capt. Obvious May 2013 #21

It happens here every election. Everyone votes by mail. Also in Washington. Bluenorthwest May 2013 #25

I know Capt. Obvious May 2013 #27

Non-paid holiday unless..... Half-Century Man May 2013 #24

All voting must be done on hand countable, paper ballots. RC May 2013 #9

+ a bazillion truebluegreen May 2013 #14

I would say exactly the reverse - electronic voting is better and more secure, if implemented well. Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #16

Got any shred of support for any of your assertions? You want electronic voting and polling places. Bluenorthwest May 2013 #23

Well, I can tell you how to do it, if that's sufficient... Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #30

Computer can be made to output any results wanted, regardless of input. RC May 2013 #28

Ballot boxes can be lost or stuffed. Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #31

Too complicated. RC May 2013 #32

We should have an Intelligent Designer pick our leaders Capt. Obvious May 2013 #12

Well, you win the "Better stalking skills than reading comprehension" award... N.T. Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #18

You win the Graham4Anything award Capt. Obvious May 2013 #22

Sentence people to the office via lottery. SQUEE May 2013 #17

You seem to have a good point -- RC May 2013 #29

How does moving voting to October save money on electioneering? brooklynite May 2013 #33

It doesn't, I think you may have misunderstood the OP. N.T. Donald Ian Rankin May 2013 #34