General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsLong lines can be less likely with paper ballots. Why?
If you are using electronic voting machines and want to have 1000 people vote at the same time, you need to buy 1,000 machines ($3,000 ea., or so).
On the other hand, if you want to have 1,000 people vote on paper ballots, all you need to do is hand them the ballot, a pen, and give them a table to write on.
The pinch point in the process is the machines themselves, most polling places can only afford to buy a limited number of these expensive, corruptible, untraceable, and unreliable electronic voting machines.
My conclusion:
By going back to paper ballots, we can reduce the lines and thus increase our effectiveness at the polls, since the more people that vote, the better Democrats do.
yardwork
(61,599 posts)Dozens of people can vote at the same time at my polling place, because we are given paper ballots.
mindem
(1,580 posts)We have a limited number of the little booths but there are plenty of tables and chairs for people to use. I always just grab a chair and vote out in the open. I live in a very red county and I figure if someone peeks at my ballot and sees that I vote dem and it ruins their day -- good--. I don't know if I could trust anything other than paper ballots.
WhollyHeretic
(4,074 posts)More people can vote at once so it is much faster
all american girl
(1,788 posts)They had 6 of us sitting there. Here there were only 6 questions plus the people you had to vote for (3). I, personally, like the old school way of doing things....paper all the way
sarah FAILIN
(2,857 posts)We have paper ballots where you draw a line to connect something that looks like a broken arrow back together with their special pen. Feed it through the little scanner and you're done. No hanging chads, no punching anything, no hitting the wrong part of the touch screen. People need to remember that sometimes the old ways are best. Paper ballots may be more bulky to deal with than a digital record, but paper ballots won't get "accidentally" erased.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)Have people actually voted on them and explored them? I watched it print as I voted.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)I know many who are very happy to finally be able to cast private votes.
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)accessibility
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)paper ballots are SO much cheaper!
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)which is almost impossible if you have to buy 100 or more voting machines.
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)a no brainer if you want the lines to move more quickly...
Nikia
(11,411 posts)There were two voting machines and 9 booths for paper. They directed me to the line for the machines where a dozen people were standing in line. I told them that I wanted paper because I needed to get to work. I got the paper ballot and was out of there in a few minutes.
Thrill
(19,178 posts)Universal voting machines. Everyone and Everywhere vote the same way. Early voting allowed EVERYWHERE. And Election Day is a National Holiday. Not sure why this can't be done and quickly
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)and machines for those who need added accessibility.