Anybody else think the way we do elections are too complicated???

[BusynMember]

With the election over, and not wanting to get into certain candidates, just wondering if other Americans, or those abroad who watch us and probably shake their heads, think we should make voting and winning more cut and dried. I mean, I've always been in favor of popular vote and I think there should be one ballot across the country...not different types of ballots in different parts of even the same states.

I also think a non-partison group should oversee our elections, not anyone who is a member of either party. Maybe we can even get people from different friendly countries, with no dog in the fight, to decide about early voting, ballots, whether we need IDs, and enforcement of countrywide rules. It's just so goofy to watch the jokes that happen every presidential election cycle.

This is NOT a thread to bash or praise who won...it's only that I'm always amazed at how hard it is to vote and get correct results in our country. Other countries make it much more simple.

 

[TeDo]

I am with you on one point and that is the popular vote. I think the whole concept of the Electoral College is ridiculous. In my opinion, the person with the most votes wins, not some other convoluted way.

 

[InsaneCdn]

Other countries make it much more simple

Really? I'd LOVE to know what country that is.
Ours might not be quite as complex in some ways but... it sure isn't simple.

 

[PatriotsGirl]

I am with you on one point and that is the popular vote. I think the whole concept of the Electoral College is ridiculous. In my opinion, the person with the most votes wins, not some other convoluted way.

Agreed completely!!! husband and I were just discussing this.

Honestly, I think it would be better if everyone had to take a questionnaire instead of choosing a name. The answers on that persons questionnaire determines who their vote is for based on the candidate most aligned. No campaigns, no race, no gender, etc. Everyone has a fair shot and people vote based on how they really feel on the issues and the majority based on popular vote wins.

 

[DammitJanet]

I think the electoral college is out of date to be honest. I think we should go with the popular vote now. Good grief, you can win just about every county in one state but then have it go to the other candidate simply because they win the larger counties. That really makes people in the smaller counties feel like they shouldnt even bother to go vote. Like in NC, if a candidate wins Raleigh and Charlotte, they win the state so why should I even bother to vote?

I also think we should put a cap on the amount that candidates can spend on elections. The money they spend now is absurd. It could go to so many other better causes like...spending down our debt! If they can afford billions of dollars to attempt to get a job that pays around 200K well, there is just something wrong there. Send us all emails, let them compose their own speeches, maybe a couple debates on TV because the TV stations have to do those for free, I can think of a lot more ways to do things cheaper if we cut them down to maybe only 2 million a piece. Maybe that would show they can keep our money safer.

 

[Hound dog]

The electoral college should end. Why are we voting if it's then up to some other dudes who actually wins? This was my argument in govt class ages upon ages ago, and in some 30 yrs it has not changed. Teacher couldn't convince me, although I do understand the process.

I dunno about state elections. But anything federal should be the same across the board. Same ballots, same rules. That way no one can argue. States can figure their own business and how they want to do it, as it should be.

Now that we've hit the mass media stage of evolution, personally..........how about we only allow them no more than 3 months to do their campaigns? I think that would be more than enough.......probably should still be shorter.

Maybe it's because Ohio is a stupid swing state, but these past two elections have about done me in with the whole process. My phone this past month has literally non stop rang off the hook. If it wasn't yet another darn poll, it was a campaign ad. Not to mention the folks banging on my door at all hours. Good grief, yesterday and the day before my phone DID NOT stop ringing. Seriously? Was that really necessary? Now you got my name there somewhere, and you got Travis' name there somewhere.........and by darn it wouldn't take much to look it up and see that neither of us have missed a voting session since the age of 18. Reminding us to vote is just plain stupid and a waste of time/effort and annoying as holy hades.

Janet, I'm with you on the amount candidates spend to get elected.

Oh, and this projecting the winner before all votes have been counted baloney..........that should be nixed. No way they'll ever convince me that doesn't give a lot of folks the why bother it looks like the other person is winning anyway attitude.

 

[DammitJanet]

Anyone remember Dewey won?

 

[BusynMember]

OMG. I couldn't believe when corporations were declared people. Now these idiotic super pacs are polluting our airwaves. I think there should be a cap on how much you (and your supporters) can spend. And I think that, if you lie blatantly, the ad should have to be pulled.

 

[Hopeless]

I was about ready to take all if the mailings I received during this and mailed them all back to sender. We have three people who were registered to vote in our household, so we received triplicate mailings. What a waste if money. Take the money and put it to some good use for our country.

I also agree the way we vote needs some overhaul.