Re: 2020 Election
 

And they are counting multiple elections at once, not just the choice of president.

Re: 2020 Election
 

Yes that too.

On my California ballot there was like 17 things on it.

Re: 2020 Election
 

In New York, there’s yet an additional complexity - eight different political parties. So, for instance, if I’d wanted to vote for Elise Stefanik for US Congress, I could have voted for her under the Republican, Conservative, or Independence Party lines. These three have to be tabulated separately, as the location on the ballot in the next election is dependent on how well each party performed in this election. Same for the Democratic vs. Working Families parties.

So a heck of a lot more complex than a UK general election, in which the votes can be quickly sorted into 3 or 4 piles, then each pile counted.

Re: 2020 Election
 

..because in the UK no-one whose name is not on the list is allowed to vote.

But here (in CA anyway) anyone who asks to vote is allowed to cast a "provisional ballot"- this ensures that no-one is wrongly excluded, but obviously going through all the provisional votes to determine which are valid and can be counted takes time.

Re: 2020 Election
 

True, no doubt, but that’s not the point I was making.

Re: 2020 Election
 

Yes I agree with your point too.

Re: 2020 Election
 

I kind of like how they do it in Peru, and some other Latin American countries. You are required by law to vote. Failing to do so results in a fine. Failure to pay the fine bars you from renewing your drivers license, passport or accessing other government services until it is paid. Voting is an obligation.

Re: 2020 Election
 

Or like Australia, where apparently if you don't show up at the polls you don't get a sausage.

Re: 2020 Election
 

Ouch. That is harsh.

Re: 2020 Election
 

Well, that's down under for you. The images on the net look like run of the mill hotdogs, but it makes sense that if they turn voting into a celebratory sort of tailgater, they'll get a better turnout.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...1eca378cf4.jpg

Re: 2020 Election
 

Mmmmm looks gooooood. Interesting idea.

Re: 2020 Election
 

That photo is a lie. It's normally a slice of shit plastic bread, with a cheap, somewhat dubious hotdog, some partially boiled then hotplates for two seconds onions and finally the cheapest ketchup or American mustard.

Also common misconception, we don't have to vote. What we do have to do is rock up to the polling station and give our name. That's it. If you want to vote you can, if you want to draw a dick and balls on your ballot paper you can. It's dumb imo. Make it law to vote or don't, but this middle way is silly.

Re: 2020 Election
 

Does sound screwy. So, Australian then. :p

Re: 2020 Election
 

:frown:

Re: 2020 Election
 

I would think mandating an actual vote would also remove the idea of the secret ballot. Oz seems to have a good balance of making you get off your bum, but allowing Anarchists', contrarians, and others to also opt out of the system if they want.