A Closing Statement on the Election

[schuss]

I don't mean to clog up the forum more, but as someone who worked very hard on this election, I must make a statement so I'm not tempted to post to other threads. I encourage others to do the same. Here it is:

I worked on the Kerry/Edwards campaign extensively this season, along with managing a state senate candidate. I worked myself to a position of some responsibility for election day, and I'm proud and blessed for every minute with my fellow volunteers. That was the true story of this season, was the sheer love and work that all the volunteers put in (myself being one). Never have I seen so many people work so hard for no tangible reward. This is what truly gives me hope for the future.
Sadly, my side lost. Pure and simple. However, I'm proud to say I was part an effort that put Kerry up 6500 votes in our area of NH. We won the gov. spot, some important state races, and the state for Kerry. It truly stings to see him lose, as all of us worked so hard, and there was nothing we could have done to change the outcome (we phonebanked till hawaii closed too).
For the future, I have hopes and I have concerns. My hopes are that of the 120 million people that voted, more of them actually pay attention and put work into their local political scene, regardless of party or creed. I hope that those who lost do not lose heart, and that they continue to work for what they believe in, god knows I will. My concerns are that this country is too focused on the sound bite and the bullet point, into which most issues cannot be shrunk. I personally didn't see as many dirty tricks as the 2000 and 2002 elections, but they're still out there, and it would be nice if the lies would stop (this is more on the local level). My other concern is of electronic voting with no paper record, as anyone who's ever used a computer knows how unreliable and easily manipulated they are. Thats about it.

Thanks for reading this, and a huge thank you to anyone who volunteered, you guys made this election a joy to work, every step of the way.

[Vets]

Quote:
My other concern is of electronic voting with no paper record, as anyone who's ever used a computer knows how unreliable and easily manipulated they are.

I live in Nevada. We have electronic (touch screen) voting WITH a paper record. It looks like a cash register tape next to the touch screen machine. It can be done. Hopefully this example can be used as a model for other states. This is a concern which needs to be addressed and improved.

While volunteering the past two days, I spoke with someone who was involved in the process for implementing the electronic voting. He explained the differences in the system used in Nevada compared to the systems used in other states.
Prior to the election, I visited the Nevada Secretary of State office and saw that they had a sample of one of the new voting machines available.
Here is a link to Nevada Results:
2004 General Election Coverage and Reports
While I may not be happy with all of the results, the system appears to have worked (at least this time.)

[AndrewDiceClay]

Little Bo Peep,
fucked her sheep,
she blew her horse,
she licked it's feet,
she ate his ass so very nice,
tongued his balls not once but twice.


Nice waste of time on Kerry, GO FUCK YOURSELF.

[iceman]

Thanks for doing what I should have been doing but thought I could get away with not doing.

Shit.

But thanks.

[schuss]

Quote:
My other concern is of electronic voting with no paper record, as anyone who's ever used a computer knows how unreliable and easily manipulated they are.

I live in Nevada. We have electronic (touch screen) voting WITH a paper record. It looks like a cash register tape next to the touch screen machine. It can be done. Hopefully this example can be used as a model for other states. This is a concern which needs to be addressed and improved.

While volunteering the past two days, I spoke with someone who was involved in the process for implementing the electronic voting. He explained the differences in the system used in Nevada compared to the systems used in other states.
Prior to the election, I visited the Nevada Secretary of State office and saw that they had a sample of one of the new voting machines available.
Here is a link to Nevada Results:
2004 General Election Coverage and Reports
While I may not be happy with all of the results, the system appears to have worked (at least this time.)

Yes, I hope this is the system all electronic systems use. This was not meant as an allegation, but just a worry, as we need accountability within the system, and anyone who's been through a HD crash knows what I'm talking about.
EDIT: Oh, and alias-boy, just lame.

[ak_powder_monkey]

Most of my friends worked for Tony knolwes the demacratic challenger for one of Alaska's US senate seats. They have been putting in time since last April. Sadly we lost, today was a day of the brightest kids in school hungover and depressed. On the plus side they did make some money.

[shamrockpow]

Thanks Schuss. You guys delivered NH for us and it was appreciated. I don't regret the work I've put in, I'm just sad there wasn't anything else for us to do.

[schuss]

thanks again shamrock, it was you guys that made election day easy and incredible. I could go on forever about how awesome our volunteers were, but it still wouldn't be enough. Time to look forward to '06, screw moping. In NH we got the gov. spot and a few key state spots, while in MA we got every open seat. Time to kick some ass.

[eldereldo]

I don't quite get the deal with a 'paper trail', are you supposed to take the printout you get and turn it in as well so that in the case of a dispute they can go through and count the paper votes to compare to the computer ones?

[13]

Naw, the paper trail is what's stuck to your shoe when you walk away from the booth.

[basom]

teehehe.
nice one thirteen.

[iceman]

I don't quite get the deal with a 'paper trail', are you supposed to take the printout you get and turn it in as well so that in the case of a dispute they can go through and count the paper votes to compare to the computer ones?

Exactly. Here in Maryland you vote on a computer and you simply have to trust that it will be counted. If a printout was generated at least there would be a way to go back and recount.

edit: I like 13's answer better

[laseranimal]

Schuss good stuff, I had a post that I started writing in Word with something to the effect of a couple of helpful hints for all the Dems who are hurting right now. I'm on the other side of the aisle from most of you guys but during the 8 years of the Clinton presidency I know what you guys must be feeling right now, it flat out sucks. To summarize my unposted thoughts, the best thing that you guys can do right now is to let the wounds sting, you'll need it to remember what this feels like in 4 years, and yet you need to forget the past and move forward, put the blame squarely on your own shoulders and figure out what your gonna do to not have it happen again the next go around. I have to say I like your chances. There are a LOT of fat bloated partisans in my party right now, like Rocky we're losing the eye of the tiger as our majorities grow. We've forgoten all those long years we spent in exile, where we had to work for every donation and every vote, we had a lot on our plate back then and made some real gut check decisions that allowed us to be the party we are today. You Democrats have that oppertunity now, I wish you all the best of luck and congratulate you all on a well fought campaign

[Will]

I don't quite get the deal with a 'paper trail', are you supposed to take the printout you get and turn it in as well so that in the case of a dispute they can go through and count the paper votes to compare to the computer ones?

Part of the idea is that a paper trail will help with certain kinds of computer fuck-up. It's supposed to tell you what the computer actually did, so you can compare that to what you told it to do. Let's be honest here, touch-screens are imperfect, ever hit the wrong part of the screen at the atm?

Let's say you vote for candidate X. If all goes well, the computer counts your vote as a vote for candidate X and you get a receipt that says so.
If something's fucked up and you press the "X" button, but the computer counts the vote for "Y", then you'll get a receipt for "Y" and immediately raise a fuss.

If there's a computer error later on down the line in the counting process, or even an incident of intentional voter fraud, then I guess these paper ballot receipts could be used for a recount. But as I understand it the paper trail is most useful for dealing with errors in the first stage of the voting process (the voter - machine interaction).

[truth]

Voting Machine