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mrmpa

(4,033 posts)
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 12:40 AM Oct 2012

Let's all be calm now.............

There area few posts tonight/morning bemoaning the fact that the power on the east coast may be out until after November 6. Many others wonder if polling places have no electricity, how will people be able to vote. Let's not get ahead of ourselves and begin the hand wringing and obsessing over what may happen.

Have faith that electricity will be available to the machines via generators. The Federal Election must take place on November 6, this would be for President, Senators and Congressional Representatives. Any others on the ballots would be State Senators, State House of Representatives, State referendums & possible local elections.

If electricity is not available for the machines to operate, then paper ballots would probably be available, with people only voting for President, their Senatorial and House of Representatives choices. All other elections probably in my opinion.could be mandated by Governors of States to be held at a later date. All that would be needed is for paper ballot voting to occur is for each polling place
to visibly post the names of all candidates (Federal) and hand voters paper and pen, then it would be deposited in a locked box & at end of the night the poll workers would do a hand count. For those who need assistance to vote, they can be assisted by someone they bring to the poll or by a poll worker who would note they have done so. The poll I work, we have a ledger where we note that we have assisted a voter.

Again, let's not get ahead of ourselves, just remain calm. Have faith that those men and women working to restore power will do their best to get the power restored ASAP. I believe that they understand what needs to be done.

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Floyd_Gondolli

(1,277 posts)
1. In other words
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 12:42 AM
Oct 2012

Emulate the fine Democratic governors and mayors who have been calm and collected tonight.

Journeyman

(15,001 posts)
3. Everyone should take a cue from Mark Twain and realize. . .
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 12:50 AM
Oct 2012

that the older we get the more we can appreciate that most of the troubles we've known never happened.

In other words, don't let the unknown cares of tomorrow live in your head rent free today.

mrmpa

(4,033 posts)
6. Excellent quote.............
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 12:54 AM
Oct 2012

I think I know an 82 year old parent who needs to hear that. I will tell her tomorrow. Thank you.

Journeyman

(15,001 posts)
8. The original Twain quote, made when he was quite elderly and close to death, is. . .
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 01:02 AM
Oct 2012
"I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened."

Tx4obama

(36,974 posts)
4. The Head of FEMA told the governors that the fed gov will reimburse the states if ...
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 12:53 AM
Oct 2012

they have to buy generators for the elections.

Saw it here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021664791#post12



mrmpa

(4,033 posts)
7. I'm in western PA...........
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 12:56 AM
Oct 2012

and I agree with you about our power companies. Just as an aside, I was heading west into Ohio on Saturday and in a 45 minute drive on the interstate I counted 16 power company trucks headed east.

 

Yul A

(94 posts)
9. hey, I wouldn't object to paper ballots in swing states
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 02:38 AM
Oct 2012

maybe Sandy is god's way of neutralizing any compromised electronic voting machines!

jeff47

(26,549 posts)
10. Actually, paper isn't nearly as hard as you imply
Tue Oct 30, 2012, 08:58 AM
Oct 2012

We don't need to design a new "top-of-the-ticket" ballot. Print up copies of the absentee ballots for the polling stations without power. Already has all of the races on it, and it's already in convenient ready-for-the-printer's electronic format.

And that's assuming the polling places are using direct electronic voting. If they use scanners, then they already have paper ballots. They just won't be able to scan them at the polling place.

Getting a few million of those printed quickly is pretty much a matter of cash, which the feds have said they will supply.

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