One way to guarantee a paper trail is to institute "vote by mail"

[Toots]

Just think about it for a second. You sit around your kitchen table and discuss the issues or people on the ballot because you have plenty of time to do so. You get to understand exactly what the issues are and how you should vote on them. You don't need to find a place to park or stand in any lines or run into someone you just didn't want to run into. It takes away all the inconvenience that currently is involved with how we vote. Turn out would increase and there would be a guaranteed paper trail. Oregon went "vote by mail" a few years back and both political Parties and Independents seem to really like it. I have not heard a single complaint and lots of Hoorahs..Republicans love mail in ballots and that is why they have such a big push for absentee voting. They know that because of the convenience more people will vote and that is something we really need to happen in this country..

[iconoclastNYC]

1. Depends who's working at the Post Office.

You can definately target likely Dem votes by ZIP code.

I wish there was some way a voter coudl verify thier vote was counted after the fact. Like....you write down the serial number.....punch it into the web site and see ur votes. I don't know if you can get aroudn the secret ballot issues with this...but it'd be an useful safeguard.

[vptpt]

2. I hope not

I don't have much faith in the post office these days. They've been losing a lot of my stuff the past couple years, and it seems to be getting worse all the time. I'd hate having to wonder if my vote made it in. Maybe if there was a special delivery service for it and you could track it. Even then, what if it gets lost? Do you get to vote again? What if it's past the deadline before you find out it's been lost? Sorry to be so negative about it. I just don't trust the postal service.

[Toots]

4. It doesn't have to be either or...

There are going to be people like you that don't trust the US Mail and there are going to be homeless people who have no mailing address. Anyone could still go vote at their local voting place but for the rest of us that don't want to stand in line and worry about confrontations or ???? voting by mail would be a welcome addition to our current system and we know damn well there will be a paper trail and those votes can be recounted if need be.

[OregonBlue]

3. You're right. It is great. Only one drawback, counting the

ballots takes longer than usual. In this "instant" society, might not play so well.

[DELUSIONAL]

5. Not really -- most of the mailed ballots arrive before election day

and they can be processed and ready to count at the official close of "polls".

That's the way they do it in my voting district - it has gone to 100% mail in ballots.

They still can give a vote total and then when more ballots arrive (mailed on election day) these can be added to the total. In most cases the winner doesn't change -- unless the vote is very close and then perhaps the media might have to wait -- but tough luck.

I really like mail in ballots -- I've been voting this way for years.

[OregonBlue]

6. Yah, it's not bad but it is a little slower than other states.

Still, I love it. Mark my ballot early and get it in and then relax!

[DELUSIONAL]

7. you are so right -- vote early and then relax

[B Calm]

8. I usually vote on an absentee ballot at the Court House.

[XOKCowboy]

9. I vote absentee ballot

I travel a lot and it's very convenient. Same thing you're talking about I think. During the 2004 election I sure would have liked a receipt or something. My mistrust of the voting system (and the USPS) was in full force and it gave me a creepy feeling that I didn't know if the election commission had ever gotten my ballot or not.