I've just solved the voting recount problem. Simply and elegantly.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

I've thought of a simple yet brilliant (if I say so myself) method to confirm the vote. I've decided to call it The People's ReVote.

The concept is straightforward. We The People shall construct a parallel voting system, consisting of paper ballots and lockboxes guarded by very large people with assault weapons (ironic touch there). Constant video surveillance of the boxes via web cameras and other uninterruptable means would also be a plus.

This system will act as both an exit poll and as a paper trail for use in direct comparison with the "actual" vote. The difference is, it will be manned completely by civilians, and will have absolutely no association with the official voting apparatus.

The method is simple- in the state of Texas, as an example, once your voting registration has been confirmed at the site of the poll, just before you step into the booth, your registration card is stamped. This marked card will be the means by which you are allowed to cast your ReVote in the parallel system. After casting your original offical vote, you then report to the ReVote station (in place on private property, using funds donated by individuals). Upon ReVoting, a second stamp (such as a simple green check mark) will be added to your registration card; either beside the original "official" stamp, or directly atop it. This assures no one can cast more than one ReVote, thus assuring the integrity of the recount. Using this method, access to the actual voter registration list is not needed (in case the official election machine balks and refuses to provide an identical list to the ReVote personnel).

This technique shall be adjusted to take each area's differing methods into account.

The ReVote will be tallied in parallel with the official count, with statistics publically announced on a regular basis.

At no point in the ReVote process will any access be granted to any official associated with the legal voting mechanism. The ReVote shall stay entirely separate from the process, firmly in civilian hands and under our control.

The voter choses to ReVote or not. Failure to ReVote (due mostly to political affiliation, most likely) will only serve to skew the ReVote in We The People's favor.

Ideas and adjustments to the concept are welcome.

[Rumba]

1. But... but...

If the revote process is so accurate, why not just use it in the first place and do away with the first voting process?

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

2. To prove the fraud.

It's a RECOUNT- the one they can't afford to let us have. If we take it out of their control, their hand is forced. They have to either publically fight the mechanism or give in to it.

"I'm not playing chess- I'm playing poker!"

[crispini]

3. hm, we allow lotsa people to vote

without their voter reg card. we can just look them up and look at their ID. no stampy that way....

[grasswire]

4. there's another way, too

(and by the way, I like your spunk!)

NCR paper. White copy to the ballot box, pink copy to the voter, and yellow copy archived to the "re-vote" or "in case of re-count" box.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

5. The ReVote must be 100% separate

Not even in the same building, or on the same property. NO access to its process by the official system. Anything less completely undermines its integrity.

[Timebound]

6. Germany's got it right

They all vote by paper ballot, and the counting is done by hand by civil servants. It takes like a week or two to count them all, but they always know who won that night by the exit polls.

There, the exit polls have always been accurate to .1%.

But I agree that it should be manned by civilians. There should be one person affiliated with each official party in the state (here, its Dems, Repbs, and Libertarians) counting the ballots, plus one unaffiliated/independant counter.

[laheina]

7. and

It would be nice if the votes NEVER moved. No airtight chain of possesion thingies.

Also, there would need to be some system of redundancy with the webcams, so that the video feed couldn't be interupted.

[Kellanved]

10. actually

It takes more like four hours; the results are in by midnight, even with the rather complicated 2-votes system. And it isn't done exclusively by civil servants, but mostly by volunteers (one from each party + x).
Yet a few cities have introduced touch screen voting machines, but the voting laws are pretty clear on it: a manual recount has to be possible.

Also there is a ban on publishing exit poll results while the polling stations are still open.


The trend to introduce voting machines will continue, as several conservative states have introduced a new local election system.

Basically it gives the voter one vote for each seat in the city council (in cities this means hundreds of votes for each voter); several votes can be given to one candidate, etc. .
This system, promising more democracy on the first glance, does the exact opposite: it reduced turnout by a large margin.
While conservative voters almost entirely use the option to vote for the Party, not individual candidates; left voters tried to use their new "freedom". Thus many left votes were wasted; the conservatives won many of these elections in a landslide - contrary to the predictions.

And it just continues giving: it is too complicated to be counted by hand, never mind re-counted...


One ballot for a town (on the left is the ballot for the mayor election, the council ballot used to be exactly the same size)



And here is one for a small city:
http://www.landkreiskassel.de/politik/wahlen/Stimm-om.pdf

For cities like Frankfurt or Munich, the Ballot had the size of a really big poster.

[newyawker99]

13. Hi Timebound!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[alittlelark]

8. Nice Idea, but most likely utterly undoable

who's gonna pay? That ? alone would take years to aanswer. The Repukes would also say that those that voted for * would not bother to come out... Our Constitution does not allow for it.

[BrewerJohn]

9. Mass boycott by Repukes would render it useless

And that's what would probably happen if the intent were too overt.

The idea has merit, though. I expect that the last "official" exit polls have just taken place in this election. There will be no more. We need to step in and conduct the people's exit poll. It will have to be very low-key, with no trace of partisanship. A network of volunteers in support of democracy (small 'd'). Strictly a public service.

To do it accurately we would need to be inside the polling places. Can they keep us out but still let the partisan vote-challengers in? That would be the battle.

[noamnety]

12. even if they boycott, it's not useless

If our numbers show 310 votes for the democrat, and their numbers show 290, we know we have a problem, even if all the republicans boycotted us.

[SoCalDem]

11. Let the cities/states do whatever they want...BUT... For national offices

a 5 x 7 cardstock ballot with 3 columns..

Same in EVERY STATE (no problems with recount denial due to different standards)

Column 1 president
Column 2 senate
Column 3 congress..

a box beside each name

Each state would be responsible for actual printing, but the cards would be standard (just like IRS forms are standard)

Black permanent marker

ballots numbered so that no "extras" can be slipped in


States can use their diamond-studded,solid gold vaporVote machines to elect their city council if they want, but People who hold the reins of power in the US affect everyone, no matter the state they come from.

The guy who gets elected to the senate from Idaho affects ME in CA if he happens to be the one who casts the deciding vote..

It's a non-partisan issue..

We deserve to know who REALLY WON..and we deserve the option of having a fair and easy re-count ..