Reply #20: An exit polling idea for NJ gov. race - please help brainstorm!

[SmileMaker]

Excerpts from posts I added to BradBlog discussion about voting rights conference. Please help brainstorm this. We could start this in NJ and, if it works, take it National by 2006! Basically, the adults of both parties have shown that they can't be trusted with counting our votes. It's time for the kids to keep an eye on them. :)

Please help brainstorm this and if you know how to connect with people who design these databases, let me know! Thanks... Sue (aka SmileMaker)

...Sue said on 9/30/2005 @ 2:44pm PT...

Please talk about making sure NJ votes count for Corzine in November!!!!


I think I’m ready to take leadership on coordinating this in NJ because I don’t think anyone else is. I’m still asking around and the answers are coming slowly. I don’t know what the best strategy will be to be certain our votes will count - or if they are already magically in place - but, I have a couple of ideas if they aren’t.

1 – Mail in absentee voting.

Voter keeps a copy of ballot and sends a copy or reports it to a centralized NJ database (Maybe we could use a database already in existence?).

2 – Have math and social studies students conduct exit polls outside of polling places located in schools with help from teachers and colleges students.

This would turn the polling activity into an authentic learning experience that would provide an opportunity to apply math / interviewing skills to a real situation that students have an enormous stake in. Just let the right wingers try to steal an election while our kids are watching!

Let me know what you think – I hope it will be a topic at the conference this weekend. I’ll try to listen in if I can. I hope that someone will archive the audio so we will be able to listen later though. There is a lot at stake.

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COMMENT #6
...Sue said on 9/30/2005 @ 3:13pm PT...

Today, as over 100 of us marched through Princeton Univ. campus to protest CondiLiestoUs Rice, I had an opportunity to talk to some of the progressive student leaders and leaders of the Coalition about the voting issue. There are more people I need to talk to, but it's so hard getting answers!! Anyway, I didn't want to miss the opportunity to get NJ's gov. election this November onto your conference brainstorming agenda.

COMMENT #7
...Sue said on 9/30/2005 @ 4:17pm PT...



Me again... I think I figured out how to make exit polling for kids REALLY simple, completely discreet, more transparent and a fun learning activity for the kiddies :)

1- Make paper copies of the sample ballots and
deploy activists to work with students of math/social studies in their schools and at other polling places all over NJ.

2-Have kids give the voters a sample ballot to complete as it was completed in the booth. Have the voter fold it up (when complete) and put it into a box (that is painted black??)

3- Have kids, teachers and activist helpers count up the exit poll results and see if there is any discrepancy between exit poll percentage and actual vote percentage. Try to get a huge sample by getting the kids to be as charming as possible when giving sample ballots.

4 - Getting the kids involved gives them the stake that they deserve in THEIR future, helps them understand what an election is and why it's so important to make sure our votes are counted correctly, gives the vote counting process an air of transparency because, of course, we'll want to invite the local media in to show the kids taking an interest in the election and learning all about the math involved when they are finished.

..Peggy said on 9/30/2005 @ 4:37pm PT...


Brad, you are a true American hero. Once again, thank you.

Sue, I really like your idea about the students polling voters. Could this idea somehow be promoted nation-wide???

COMMENT #20
...Sue said on 10/1/2005 @ 8:03am PT...



Peggy -

I will try to round up enough people in NJ to participate. The Coalition for Peace Action in Princeton (peacecoalition.org) is serving as a network for voting rights activism in NJ. Our biggest push has been to help get Rush Holt's bill passed.

Ideally, a database like those used to set up house parties could be used to set up kids polls at polling places around NJ and to report the results. Linking up with PDA, DFA and MoveOn could help get the world out.

Teachers of math and civics could brainstorm lesson plans that could tie the activity into standards in a related forum. If it works, I would think that by 2006 we could have an interesting new check on our vote auditing process and engaging lesson plans for teachers to use that would provide an authentic learning experience for the kids.

I don't know how to set up those kinds of data collection systems, that is why I'm reaching out to the voting rights activists meeting this weekend to help with brainstorming.

From my experience with offering enrichment programs in schools and to after school programs, I know that change happens SLOWLY. Another complication (or expense) could be getting the ballots copied and in place. I'm thinking that highlighter pens could be used to mark the sample ballots so they wouldn't need to be adapted to make space for marking.

I will be unavailable tonight during the BradShow online blogging - I hope that this idea can be tossed around with people who could help make this idea a reality.