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This would be scary if it weren't so stupid.
I was reading through the political blogs and found this Article. Basically a "security" firm was offering to send it's people to polling places in Oregon to prevent violence and "detain troublemakers". Now, to me, nothing says democracy like corporate interests sending thugs to polling places. But what makes this possible the stupidest offer ever. Well the punch line is in the last line of the article
Comments
12 years ago
International media are making a big thing about the turnout - lots of shots of long queues, talk about some areas have 4, 6, 8 times the turnout of the last election. Other countries with a big turnout for an election (typically because it's the first proper one for decades) do have problems with violence when people realise the polls will close before they get their turn to vote. Maybe that's what the Evergreen people were concerned about?
Reply 12 years ago
Fortunately, here, as long as you are in line before the polls close, you CAN NOT be disenfranchised.. The caps is for the first time voter who may not know that. If you get inline 1 minute before the polls close, they MUST let you vote, regardless of how long it takes. I never trust the altruism of a corporation, besides, did you read the last line? ;-)
Reply 12 years ago
That's rather good - over here, when the polls close, they close (although, there is so much apathy regarding voting, I have never had to wait for more than about a minute to be able to cast my vote. The amount of interest amongst young people has reached such a low that they are considering allowing votes by text or email !! Mostly by mail? That's very much the minority here (and in the incidents I mentioned above), but we're so population-dense that most people live within walking distance of a polling station.
Reply 12 years ago
Waited just a minute? Geez, I went the first day of early voting and stood inline for an hour, my wife stood in line even longer. I'm hoping for a record turn out, my wife registered almost a dozen people at her work place, and my friends are sick of me telling them to go vote. ;-) BTW, in addition to my sign being cussed out, I had it stolen and my truck vandalized, I can't wait until wednesday.
Reply 12 years ago
. I just got back from (early) voting and had to wait almost an hour-and-a-half. . I was pretty impressed with my fellow Americans - several ppl in wheelchairs and walkers were sent to the front of the line and nobody griped about it.
Reply 12 years ago
You can register each other as voters?
Wow.
In theory, all UK citizens are already registered voters - each area has an electoral roll, which you are supposed to update when you move, but local authorities write to every address to check who lives there regularly anyway.
If you're not on the roll, it makes it hard to get credit or utilities. You are allowed to remove your details from the public version (as teachers, we do, as well as going ex-directory), but there is a full version kept on file.
Reply 12 years ago
Well over here it's optional, and many people don't because they are afraid of jury duty (even thou jurist are selected from the Driver's license registry), So she printed the forms and since her job has most of the company going through her, she'd ask "registered?" and then hand them a form......
Reply 12 years ago
Yeah, it's not as much registering other people, as helping them get registered. Volunteers give out forms and tell them how to mail them in.
Reply 12 years ago
Stealing signs and such is really just stupid. I know a girl who was bragging about how many she had taken. I then pointed out how the people who she stole the signs from probably just bought another, thus giving Obama even more money. Stealing them also made McCain's supporters look bad. All I got in response was, "Oh."
Reply 12 years ago
I believe we had around 50% voter turn out last time...so we couldn't have more than about double...
Reply 12 years ago
that made me lol. here's the actual stats
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html
Reply 12 years ago
You know what? I think he may have meant that certain parts of the country would have 4-8 times the turn out. That's possible.
Reply 12 years ago
You know what, I think I did...
...some areas...
Reply 12 years ago
I know, but.... I needed a laugh.
Reply 12 years ago
Ah...
12 years ago
Previous post deleted, since it only demonstrates that I didn't follow the posted link. Sigh...engage brain before moving fingers...
12 years ago
some ones gone a little postal