Voting Thoughts for Prince George's County (single, parties, values)

[motoreater]

Originally Posted by InvaderBryce

The Electoral College will and should never be done a way with. If we move to a popular vote, guess which party is most likely to hold the Presidency 4 out of 5 times? It's bad enough most of the money and attention is placed on the swing states, a popular vote would be worse in that only the 10 largest states would receive the most attention.

I do however support moving from a winner take all system to one which awards Electoral Votes based on proportionality.

*People's votes actually DO matter
*Swing states would virtually not exist anymore; every state is "up for grabs"
*The largest states would no longer decide elections
*Encourages more competition and money spent on pretty much every state
*Losers would still win in a sense; they'd receive a proportionality of that states EV's
*Would benefit 3rd party candidates
*We would preserve our nation's history will at the same time, ensure the votes of our citizens actually matter

I have to hand it to you as far as one reason why the electoral college will continue to exist. A question I had about the first paragraph..."Which party is most likely to hold the Presidency 4 out of 5 times and why?" The nation is leaning towards socialism more and more...who wins there?

I am also curious as to how you award electoral votes based on proportionality while retaining the electoral college.
The popular vote could never work fairly and unbiased in a country rife with corruption...might as well give the candidates a gun with one bullet and let them play Russian roulette. Guess who wins?!!

For the electoral college see Article II, section 2 of the Constitution where it is run down. The electoral college votes pretty much like congress who passes bills you or I necessarily wouldn't. Meaning - the popular vote doesn't count. It isn't a referendum and the electors don't vote our intent as we may think.

[motoreater]

Originally Posted by pgtitans

They had signs stating that there was no campaigning pass a certain point but no one was enforcing it. I think that is the real issue.

That is almost like tampering with mail. If labor union elections are so tight why don't they enforce this law for presidential elections? I wonder who you call for these infractions? I will look out Tues, take pictures and make a call if I see the same thing.

PGC politics has never been a clean sport.

[InvaderBryce]

Originally Posted by motoreater

I have to hand it to you as far as one reason why the electoral college will continue to exist. A question I had about the first paragraph..."Which party is most likely to hold the Presidency 4 out of 5 times and why?" The nation is leaning towards socialism more and more...who wins there?

I am also curious as to how you award electoral votes based on proportionality while retaining the electoral college.
The popular vote could never work fairly and unbiased in a country rife with corruption...might as well give the candidates a gun with one bullet and let them play Russian roulette. Guess who wins?!!

For the electoral college see Article II, section 2 of the Constitution where it is run down. The electoral college votes pretty much like congress who passes bills you or I necessarily wouldn't. Meaning - the popular vote doesn't count. It isn't a referendum and the electors don't vote our intent as we may think.

California has 53 EV votes.

Obama wins CA with 62% of the vote = 33 Electoral Votes
Romeny comes in second at 35% = 19 Electoral Votes
Johnson comes in third with 3% = 1 Electoral Vote

It's that simple.

[motoreater]

Originally Posted by InvaderBryce

California has 53 EV votes.

Obama wins CA with 62% of the vote = 33 Electoral Votes
Romeny comes in second at 35% = 19 Electoral Votes
Johnson comes in third with 3% = 1 Electoral Vote

It's that simple.

Does this speak for or against the proportional aspect? It looks to me like what is going to happen since CA is overwhelmingly blue liberal.
I guess you can't fix stupid voters.

[InvaderBryce]

Originally Posted by motoreater

Does this speak for or against the proportional aspect? It looks to me like what is going to happen since CA is overwhelmingly blue liberal.
I guess you can't fix stupid voters.

It speaks for proportionality. By doing this, those people who decided to vote for Romney or Johnson, will still have their votes actually mean something and candidates will be rewarded as such. Thus California and other large/swing states states will no longer decide elections outright. Under this scenario, it'd still be possible for Romney to win the election, despite losing California.

Also, just because people decide to vote Democratic or happen to be Liberal, doesn't mean they're stupid. But, I guess with that mindset, anybody who doesn't look, talk, think or act like you is stupid and not worth your time.

[MidValleyDad]

The 100ft limit should have been enforced by the Chief judges (There are two from different parties at each polling place). I know that at some places the line was so long that it extended beyond the 100' limit (Some places tried to wrap it around in hallways, etc to keep it inside the 100' limit. I can't speak fro PG County but in our county the members of the Election board would be there checking up. On election day my polling place (I was a chief judge) got dinged because our 100ft sign was 5' too close. We had to correct it (I had put it at the edge of a parking space instead of the center of the traffic lane.) The Bd of Election official was pretty good about it. He knew from past experience where it was supposed to be and because I corrected it right away it was only written up as a comment not an infreaction.

The number of early voting sites is set by the number of registered voters. Remember it is a fairly new thing. I think this was the first Presidential Election in MD with Early Voting. I expect to see the allocation change in the future

[North Beach Person]

Originally Posted by motoreater

That is almost like tampering with mail. If labor union elections are so tight why don't they enforce this law for presidential elections? I wonder who you call for these infractions? I will look out Tues, take pictures and make a call if I see the same thing.

PGC politics has never been a clean sport.

The County Election Board (which is really an arm of the State Election Board). Initially the responsibilty to enforce the cordon is placed on the Election Judges in the polling place. They usually don't look outside someone has to tell them.

[MidValleyDad]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

The County Election Board (which is really an arm of the State Election Board). Initially the responsibilty to enforce the cordon is placed on the Election Judges in the polling place. They usually don't look outside someone has to tell them.

In our counties Chief Judges training they made a point that the 100ft rule WAS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ENFORCE and that we were to check outside often enough to make sure it was being abided by. If we have problenms with compliance we are to call the county election office and they will send out Election officials or law enforcement to make sure it is complied with. In our Poll site 'kit' is a 100 ft cord that we run out from the entrance to make sure we put the signs at the proper place. I always mark where they belong in case they 'move'

[motoreater]

Originally Posted by InvaderBryce

Also, just because people decide to vote Democratic or happen to be Liberal, doesn't mean they're stupid. But, I guess with that mindset, anybody who doesn't look, talk, think or act like you is stupid and not worth your time.

Actually, ill informed voters who don't read the issues and form opinions of their own about them are a peeve of mine; does anyone else get a general election booklet in the mail a month prior to the election?. Too many vote based on what MSM source they feel comfortable with and that could be a comedian/talk show host; all surely 100% unbiased.
How people vote is one thing; WHY they vote is another.

[InvaderBryce]

Originally Posted by motoreater

Actually, ill informed voters who don't read the issues and form opinions of their own about them are a peeve of mine; does anyone else get a general election booklet in the mail a month prior to the election?. Too many vote based on what MSM source they feel comfortable with and that could be a comedian/talk show host; all surely 100% unbiased.
How people vote is one thing; WHY they vote is another.

The only ill informed voters are those that vote for 3rd parties, vote based on superficial standards (race, beauty, gender, etc.) and single-issue voters.

I'm sure that people vote because it's their civic duty. If you can't form an opinion because of the complexity of the issue, then I don't fault you; but if it's because you're too stupid to think on your own then yes, you're an ill-informed voter. Likewise, if you don't vote and chose to remain apathetic from politics, then you have no right to complain when something happens that you don't like; you had a chance to make a difference and instead you chose to be an idiot and stay home.