| Feb 10 @ 4:04 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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Jankia
Posts: 8,623
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This was a question asked in Parade last week and just wondered what some of you thought and why.
I say we skip the electoral college all together,have a nationwide primary in June to choose one candiate from each party and one independent and then have the actual election in November.
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| Feb 10 @ 4:53 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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eastham
Posts: 5,767
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If any state would lose out in a national primary and without the electors to the Electoral College it would be Wisconsin. The City of New York has nearly twice the population of the entire State of Wisconsin. If the people of Wisconsin feel ignored now by Washington, wait til there would be no reason vote-wise to pay attention to it.
If there was a national primary, and Super Tuesday comes as close as anything, there would be no incentive for candidates to meet voters in rural areas or in small states. Candidates would focus on those areas where they would get the most votes. Urban areas have greater overall turnout than rural areas and our three largest cities -- Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.
Salience is a political science concept that argues people vote or don't vote depending on how valued they feel they are in the political process. If a national primary should be instituted and voters in small states and rural areas feel ignored and their vote won't amount to much and vote turnout in those areas would be expected to go down.
Look at the current primary races. Democrats are looking at a real horse race. Turn out is at a record high. Because the Democrats proportion their delegates on a county by county basis, every vote matters this year. And because people think their votes matter, they go out and vote.
For Republicans, it is for the most part a winner take all system. Will McCain, the nominee presumptive who needs around 200 delegates to secure the nomination, be the best candidate in the general? Hard to tell, but with Romney gone and Huckabee with no numerical way to beat McCain, watch the voter participation numbers for the Republicans plummet. That's salience.
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| Feb 10 @ 5:43 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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Jankia
Posts: 8,623
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I understand what your saying but actually its not nearly twice the pop.of Wisconsin and by accounting for 70% of Wisconsins voters actually voting compared to New York's 45% and the city itself being less,the difference is less than a million.
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| Feb 10 @ 6:00 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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MusicMonster
Posts: 2,960
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Is Our Election Process To Long?
MUCH too long.. Or at least, far far too complex and confusing.. And there are way too many differences based on locale. That makes it very difficult overall.
Perhaps the candidates should get down off the stump as they travel and shake more hands..? Although it connects with more of the masses, the stump, and a lot of screeching over a microphone, really isn't all that personal.
I predict dramatic standardization and streamlining of the entire process within the next few decades.  I suspect it's inevitable..
-MM 
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| Feb 10 @ 8:32 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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eastham
Posts: 5,767
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How many times do candidates visit during the primaries and how many times do they visit during the general election, Jankia? The fact that Wisconsin has a primary forces candidates to pay attention to the state. If everything happens on one day and you have a finite number of days to campaign, any smart candidate is going to concentrate on those big states that will mean the most votes. Retail campaigning as we know it in the small states would come to an end and the 70% voting rate of which you should be justly proud will slip.
BTW, over 7 million people voted for either Bush or Kerry or a third party candidate in 2004. Furthermore, political scientists believe that voter turnout numbers for states like New York are artificially low, because New York has an artificially high census number to reflect the number of non-citizen residents in the state, especially in the city of New York. These are both legal and illegal aliens as well as guest workers like visiting professors and doctors. As voting is not compulsory in New York, the denominator is high and there is no way to determine the correct percentage of eligible voters from that denominator.
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| Feb 10 @ 8:48 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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iam7545
Posts: 4,151
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so few people vote anyway whats the difference?
The system as it is favors the candidate with the most money - way too long!
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| Feb 10 @ 9:00 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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Jankia
Posts: 8,623
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I cant argue with that Eastham but how much is getting done by our senators that spend so much time running for president? How much time does a president give to indivdual states after theyre elected,any more then given in the campaign to garner votes?
Isnt that why we have a senate in the first place?
I suppose your right,less voters would turn out if they felt they werent being represented by there vote,but this vote is for the country as a whole,not the individual states.
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| Feb 10 @ 9:13 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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Bj864
Posts: 3,060
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I mostly agree with jankia about this.
It goes on way too long. The candidates are exhausted, the public is burnt out and WAY too much money is being spent.
I don't like each state having its own rules for national elections. I think the rules should all be the same for the national elections and they can do what they want for elections within their own states.
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| Feb 10 @ 9:17 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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Jankia
Posts: 8,623
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WAY too much money is being spent. I was hoping someone would say that. 
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| Feb 10 @ 9:24 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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iam7545
Posts: 4,151
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billary has blown through $150 million dollars - and the Primary season is 1/2 done!
Sickening! And she is gonna LOSE!
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| Feb 10 @ 9:29 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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eastham
Posts: 5,767
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We are looking at record turn-outs this year, which is very good.
Perhaps a better effort should be made in identifying those impediments to registration and voting.
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| Feb 10 @ 9:32 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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Jankia
Posts: 8,623
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 Maybe we should start selling votes as long as there buyin. 
Thats a joke....but I would sell to Hillary for a fair price.
Divorce Billy and say $25,000?
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| Feb 10 @ 9:39 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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iam7545
Posts: 4,151
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We are looking at record turn-outs this year, which is very good.
Perhaps a better effort should be made in identifying those impediments to registration and voting.
The turnout is still dismal - compared to Iraq!
Maybe if the Democrats didnt disenfranchise two of the biggest voter states in the USA more people would feel connected.
If the Dem primary gets decided with back room deals - voters will really feel a sense of being a part of a SHAM!
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| Feb 10 @ 9:54 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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eastham
Posts: 5,767
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Maybe if the Democrats didnt disenfranchise two of the biggest voter states in the USA more people would feel connected.
Michigan and Florida dems will probably caucus or take some other measure to ensure the delegates are seated. There are back up plans.
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| Feb 10 @ 9:59 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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lefthandedluckie
Posts: 3,387
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"SHAM"....I wonder if that is being "SMARTER" than a "dog trainer" or a "flea circus" owner/operator? 
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| Feb 10 @ 10:00 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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iam7545
Posts: 4,151
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eastham - they better have another election or we will see the biggest race riot since 1968 - that will be more charged than the 1910 riots after the Jack Johnson - Jeffries fight!
Quite a predicament for your party!
If Howard Dean gets involved we can be certain to have a fiasco!
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| Feb 10 @ 10:14 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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nah12
Posts: 3,004
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My question is……..do people really think that by seeing or being visited by a candidate that it is going to change how they proceed when they get in office?
and Yes IMO the amount of $$ spent is asinine
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| Feb 10 @ 10:19 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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iam7545
Posts: 4,151
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nah - they go visit the locals to raise money - Billary paid he Chief Campaign Manager $4million dollars! Her campaign has spent $500,000 in parking fees!
Great business!
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| Feb 10 @ 10:24 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long?
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nah12
Posts: 3,004
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oh i know why the candidates go... $$, ego and etc..
but It’s the people that i question on why they think it makes a difference in what the candidate will ultimately do.....
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| Feb 10 @ 10:32 PM |
Is Our Election Process To Long? |
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DoorWatcher
Posts: 6,261
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To address the question, yes, this year our election process is entirely too long. Builds a whole other type of complacency...
And I've frequently pondered that same thing...why does shaking hands with some guy (or girl hopefully) endear that person to someone in the poll booth???? Oh yeah, I chance to meet a candidate while shopping at the local supermarket. WOW. I'm so impressed. Let me run right out and cast my vote. Geez, put a pillow to my face if I'm that easily led.
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