The thing about voting, even in the 21st century United States, is that people still have to get up out of their houses, go down to a polling site, and cast a ballot. (Sure, lots of folks vote absentee, but not, in most cases, in decisive numbers). This means that the bulk of the work for campaigns is to answer the very mechanical question of how folks get over to the right place on the right day. And it also means that whoever’s running that place has their act together.
Iowa and New Hampshire have had decades of experience as small states running national-scale contests, taking high pride in their logistical management and political acumen. With the whole country playing 48-card pickup this year with the reorganizing of the various primaries and caucuses, states like Nevada and South Carolina are plowed under trying to execute a project that IA and NH had many, many chances to hone and perfect. Last week’s debate over the legitimacy of setting up caucuses inside casinos is a great example of this uncertainty in NV. This week, we’re seeing similar shakiness in SC, where the Election Commission has consolidated several precincts to share the same polling sites, and where data on the official state website might simply be wrong.
Then there’s the very unusual situation in which the Democratic race happens a week after the Republican. On the one hand, this means that there’s a week to iron out bugs in last week’s process. Voting machines seem to top the list in terms of issues (apparently the dates were improperly set for the Republican vote). So we’re preparing now to deal with a slew of paper ballots. On the other, a Republican-dominated election apparatus may not be as enthusiastic about running the Democratic primary quite as smoothly. So the election protection team is on full alert, just in case.
I’ve written elsewhere about the increasing need to understand software as legal code. Voting machines clearly illustrate that reality.
Washington is almost completely vote by mail these days. Oregon too! Tricia says it takes a bit of the excitement out of election night, but canvasing door-to-door is a whole lot more worth-while.
“oh, you haven’t ballot yet? Who are you voting for? Let me help you fill it out and here’s a stamp.”
Wow, that’s pretty awesome. Kind of the opposite of the voting machine problem. I suppose it also lets people make their decision in somewhat more of a rational frame of mind.
I hate going to the store and not being able to look things up on the Web to see if they’re any good. I wonder if voters feel the same way about candidates.