Hey Americans - what did your actual ballot look like?
 

Since I am a Canadian, I am very interested in this:

One thing I would like to ask the Americans on this board is when you voted, what did the actual ballot that you received look like? Was it a "punch a hole" for the candidate that you want kind, or
"mark an X" in pencil or
"shade in the circle" (like those Opscan tests at college).

Just wondering. Here in Canada, we voted on Monday, November 27th, and all ballots are the same format....the names are all listed alphabetically (with the party written underneath each name), with a circle beside each candidate. You mark an "X" in PENCIL and that's that. Pretty low tech stuff. (The ballots are the same design across the country).

I think the "punch a hole" ballot is a bad idea (design wise), because if you make a mistake, you can't undo it. Whereas with pencil, at least you can erase it if you change your mind a few times, or if you make a mistake.

Please let me know what your ballot was like, I am interested.

Here is a sample Canadian ballot here:
http://www.elections.ca/gen/glo/images/ballot.jpg

Here in Baltimore County in Maryland, you simply had to connect two lines that were about an inch apart into one line VERY SIMPLE. Whereas, when I live in Philadelphia, we used the OOOOOLLLLLDDD voting booths w/ levers where you cannot vote for more than one candidate per office selection.

There are too many variations and I am definitely a supporter of a national standard. In fact, the governor of Maryland just announced his initiative for this state to do just that job. e appointed a committee that has 60 days to make a recommendation so that everything will be in place for the 2002 elections. He has also committed the necessary funds for new/leased equipment and voter/election official education upfront.




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MCCOYRED

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Mu Psi '86
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Well the ballot I had looked like the canadian one you pictured except we had to punch a hole. This one was also VERY SIMPLE. I agree that the one ballot that seemed to have started this entire mess was a bit confusing, but please, if you are truly concentrating on who you are voting for, there is no excuse for punching a hole for the wrong person, and if you didnt understand or were having a hard time- there are people there to help. They can also throw your ballot out and give you a new one if you realized you had made a mistake while you were still voting! but really people, how hard is it to vote, even with the butterfly ballot?!

mccoyred, I definitely agree with you and there should be ONE same ballot for everyone in the US. I dont understand why every precidinct has a different ballot. Everything would just be a whole lot easier with only one kind of ballot.

In some Texas counties for years we have been using the optical scanner system. You actually scanned in your completed ballot into the computer yourself. Not completely fraudproof, but pretty close. Ones that were messed up, or double marked, marked outside the circle, etc were scanned into a seperate tray inside the sealed, computer. They "disputed ballots" were hand counted by the elections supervisors that night. When I moved to the metro area they were still using the old machienes with the curtain and levers. They were REALLY old and were getting too expensive to store and transport, so they finally went to the optical system here. Way quicker, easier and more accurate.

This is very educational for me. I am glad that I posted the thread. Now to mccoyred
and lifesaver, how does the "levers" thing work? Does it punch a hole? http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/confused.gif Please explain, I don't really get it. Thanks! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

In Louisiana, someplace you would think of as backwoods, we have computerized machines. I press a button next to the candidate's name, it lights up with a green X. When I'm finished, I press "VOTE" and it registers the votes and clears the ballot. Very simple, very accurate.

Also, this stuff about voting accidently for the wrong canidate is CRAP! It is the voters RESPONSIBILITY to know their choices in advance. Our local paper prints sample ballots and background info on the candidates the sunday before the election.

And people being denied vote. You gotta stand up and fight for it. had they put that much energy into trying to vote as they are bitching about it now, they WOULD HAVE VOTED.

Her's what happend when my pricinct wouldn't let me vote on a special election. Our state senator died about two months before the election. They already had the ballots printed (his term was not up, so he was not on that years ballot), so they had to print a second ballot for that one race. Three precincts voted at the same location. I knew I was supposed to vote in that race, but the pricinct judge disputed that. (200 people had voted ahead of me im my pricinct and non of them had been allowed to vote in the special race) SO I left, went home GOT MY COPY OF THE NEWSPAPER, and my voters regis. card which had my pricinct number and went back. (in texas you don't have to have your voters registration card with you to vote, just an ID and they look you up on the roll.) I went back, showed them and demanded they call a supervisor. They did and turns out I was right. They promptly issued me the proper ballots and I was then allowed to vote. ALL IT TOOK WAS FOR ME TO BE AN INFORMED VOTER AND TO GET OFF MY LAZY ASS. For the Americans, and Canadians for that matter, we live in a participatory democracy. That means SOME work on your part. The sacrifices my forefathers made are too important for me to disregard. If I was put to the test (war) i don't know If I'd have the ball sto fight and die like they did.

After this florida "butterfly ballot thing" I am so in favor of bringing back poll tests. Not as a form of racial or economic descrimination, but simply to keep stupid people from voting. One or two questions would be enough, like name your states govenor and how many US Senators does your state have?

Now that I am done with my rant, I can get back to work. http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

AGREED!!! With every right (like voting) comes responsibility!!



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MCCOYRED

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Mu Psi '86
BaltCo Alumnae

Considering the age of the machines, I'm sure that the inner workings are not too sophisticated. But I beleive some type of counter is incremented.

You walk into the booth and pull a lever that closes the curtain. You then pull down the levers for your candidate. If try to pull more than one lever for a set of candidates, it won't let you. You are forced to choose only one. Once you are done, you pull the lever again to open the curtains and record your vote. Voila! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/cool.gif



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MCCOYRED

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Mu Psi '86
BaltCo Alumnae

In putnumn county West Virginia, we use butterfly ballots. I know those are controversial now, but that's the only kind of ballot I've ever used.

Very true...I have to agree. At the same time though, I can see someone like my 70 year old mother (who is a university graduate and a retired dentist) getting a bit befuddled by something like the Butterfly Ballot. Mind you, my Mom would also be assertive enough to speak up and say, "What is the deal with this? I don't understand this ballot." then just blindly completing it and then making a stink about it AFTER THE FACT.

I think the lesson to be learned here is:
"If you don't understand the ballot, don't do anything to it...come out of your little and ASK FIRST!!"

Thanks to mccoyred for the "Lever Explanation"...much appreciated.

In my small Texas town, you picked up your paper ballot, sat at an open table, grabbed a pencil, and marked an X or filled in the oval.

Here in NY we use an electronic ballot. You push a button, can correct mistakes and only submit it when you are ready. Simple, efficient, accurate.

I didn't even KNOW that other parts of the county didn't use the machines. We've had them all my life! Those places need to get up to speed! We're in a technological world! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif

I voted in Virginia where they had a punch system at one time. The last Gubenatorial election in Ca. I voted with a punch system too. When I voted last month in Virginia you just darkened circles. All the systems I used were pretty straight forward. Although, I could see potentially a lot of problems that could arise with the punch system but I think its the voters responsibility to make sure its right before they submit it. Plus that person should ask for assistance if they are having problems. After that it should be final unless there was some kind of negligence involved. I believe that its crazy too try to discern how people vote with those chads that dont have any clear indication of the voters intent( i.e. chads with stray marks, pregnant chads, and hanging chads.) There are people that go to the voting poll that cant make up their mind. Anyways, thats my 2 cents.

Yeah, I see what all of this TECHNOLOGY is doing for us now! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/biggrin.gif

That was the case in my precint in NC as well. We also had the ability to go back and change selections. Once you pressed submit - you could not change your vote.




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Alpha Kappa Alpha
17-Alpha Phi-91

Yeah, we do have computerized ballots in Louisiana, this has been the case for less than 5 years.

I was shocked *(*&^%$$ that Florida, as well as other states were using the OLD http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif ballots and even boxes...Oh my! http://www.greekchat.com/forums/ubb/eek.gif

Here in Northern California we had the push hole thingy...When the lady showed me how to use the damn thing...She voted Gore for me!!! Any way...You slid your ballet into the little metal book looking machine...use the pin hole push pencil looking thing to punch a hole in your ballot...then you used your ballot book to look up the different numbers of the actual thing that you were voting for. After you were done, you took your ballot out of the metal book looking machine and dropped it in to a box on the counter...

Do Butterfly Ballots exist anymore?
 

Yes, I've resurrected this thread as it was an oldie but a goodie...

Question to Floridians...
"Did they ever get that hot mess butterfly ballot situation sorted out, or did any of you vote using a butterfly ballot?"

Just wondering.....

Re: Do Butterfly Ballots exist anymore?
 

Yes, butterfly ballots still exist. How do I know? I had to vote with one yesterday. To top it off, I don't live in Florida. I live in a suburb of Philadelphia, PA. :confused:

My ballot looked like a sure fire way to get fired. :rolleyes: :p


Seriously though, the County of San Diego used optical scanning ballots that were 18" long and had printing on both sides. Voters filled in the oval next to their choices and then fed them into a scanner where the ballot then dropped into a sealed ballot box.


.....Kelly :)

My absentee ballot was an optical scan card.

My walk-in ballot was also an optical scan card. One side listed the candidates for whatever office, and the other side listed the Constitutional Amendments we were able to vote for.

Four years later, and we're still using the machine described in the beginning of this thread! It's easy, rarely breaks down (if properly maintained), and the results from four machines can be read within a half hour.

BUT! I'd still like to see a nationalized standard. Of course, I'd also like to see an amendment that provides for ONE six-year term, no reelection ever.

I'd also like to see a ban on exit polls, and either a 24-hour voting period or a total news blackout on election days. I always feel as if the Pacific states are somewhat disenfranchised.

The wonderful state of Michigan has 9 different types of ballots. They graciously put videos of how to use each type on our Secretary of State's web site.

videos of voting equipment

I did hear at one point yesterday that so many people in Ohio voted that the punch card tables got full, so when people pushed the pin thing down, the chads didn't have anywhere to go and stayed on. (Picture a 3 hole punch that is completely full and can't pack any more holes into it). Thankfully, due to Florida's issues, voters noticed it and worked to get those chads all the way off.

Dee

Maryland had a new one this year...touch screen computers. They gave you a card the size of a credit card with some info encoded on the magnetic strip. You went to the machine and inserted it in a slot. Then you touched the screen for each of your choices. When you were done you hit "cast ballot" and a few seconds later the card popped out of the slot. Then you gave your card to the election judge and you were done.

Re: Do Butterfly Ballots exist anymore?
 

Orange County used optical scan cards.
There were many South Florida polls that used electronic voting. Many people were complaining because the machines needed to be calibrated which resulted in people hitting the screen for one candidate and the machine registering another. Of course, at the end, the machine gives you a list of your choices so you can verify. Plus, there's no paper trail from the electronic machines which can lead to problems.

I believe all of WI has the "connect an arrow" paper ballots.

You'll see a list like:

John Kerry/John Edwards <-- ---
George Bush/Dick Cheney <-- ---
Michael Badnarik/whoever <--- ----
Papa Smurf/Big Bird <-- ---

And you connect the arrows.

How would a write-in work on a machine like that?

actually, i meant in more general terms - how do write ins work on a machine (computerized or not)?

Ours had a option you could touch that said "write in" but I don't know how you'd write it in. Maybe a keyboard would appear on the touch screen and you'd type in the name.

a scantron

Mine was simple, just fill in the circle of the candidate you wanted, with room underneath for write-in votes.