Amber, you are correct. Ballots that have writing other than the mark in the circle or for whatever reason does not go into the main part are spit into one side of the machine and are hand counted at the end of the evening. The other side of the machine actually pulls any ballot where a write-in circle - that is also hand-counted at the end of the evening (and there are 2-3 people who look at it for the count). Further, us poll closers do actually go through each ballot, even those that are indicated as counted, just to make sure that no write-ins were missed.
Speaking of write-ins and determining voter intent: it is no easy task. We have a sheet of guidelines but in some cases, voter intent is impossible to determine. Luckily, I have not encountered that problem in the last few elections. However, that is why it is important that voters write clearly (in print). If they make a mistake, instead of scratching it out, they should just get a new ballot (the old one is shredded/trashed). And to take my soapbox out for a moment, I can't stand when someone writes in "Mickey Mouse" or "Goofy". Exercise your right to vote and to write in a candidate but remember if it is not a serious or legitimate candidate, then you are costing the tax payers of this town both time and money (yes election officials, checkers and poll closers are all paid positions - not alot but it adds up)
It appears to me that the voter who writes in "Mickey Mouse" or "Goofy" is exercising their rights of freedom of speech.Originally Posted by JoJo
Of course, I realize that many of the Beautiful People would prefer that anyone who does not agree with their views stay at home or move out of town.
They may be exercising their right to free speech. However, it gives the impression that they do not take the electorial process seriously. And as an exercise in free speech, it has minimal impact as the poll closer is, frankly, the only one to see that ballot unless the counts are in dispute. Learn about the candidates and if you don't agree with them, determine a better course of action than to write a frivilous name. How about a legitimate candidate? That makes a statement.
I never said that someone should stay home. I merely am expressing a frustration the waste of time and money it takes to count this type of vote. Frankly, the tone of your last sentence is one of the reasons I often don't post to these forums. I did so in this case because there were questions about ballots and counts that I thought I could help with. I should go back to the practice of "lurking".
Strange but true, the Donald Duck Party in Sweden, a fictitious party name used by voters to protest the lack of attractive candidates, received 1,535 write-in votes in 1991, making it the 9th most popular party in Sweden at the time.
And the Polish Beer-Lovers' Party won 16 parliamentary seats in 1991, running with the slogan "it wouldn't be better but for sure it would be funnier".
And don't get me started on the UK's Church of the Militant Elvis Party...
Why do they do it? I doubt this is a free speech thing. There are far more effective ways to express your discontent available to everyone. It seems more like vandalism, a form of electoral graffiti.
I did not realize that you considered yourself one of the beautiful people.
Harry Truman said "If you cannot stand the heat stay out of the kitchen."
This blog has several non-contraversial sections that may be more to the liking of the BP.
WHAT IS GOOD FOR THE DUCK IS good for the ignored voter.
CLT and other organizations have used the Initiative Petition process successfully, only to see their ballot box victories ignored by the entrenched power structure.There are far more effective ways to express your discontent available to everyone. It seems more like vandalism, a form of electoral graffiti.
I am not aware of any legal effective way to express discontent with the current local government.
Unless you are advocating armed revolution, I see the so called "electoral graffiti" to be a mild form of protest.
I think of it this way: We are all well-armed with Constitutional rights. We have not only the right to free speech, but also the right to assemble, right to petition and freedom of the press. Given this substantial collection of rights for expressing dissatisfaction with the government, voting for Donald Duck is a rather weak response. As JoJo points out, few actually see these protests votes, certainly not the elected officials, so I don't see the point.
I don't think I said that I was one of the "beautiful people" but in your original post on the subject, you implied that I was. I work hard at my job and taking care of my family. I attend town meetings, ask questions,volunteer at school and stay informed (one of the reasons I read blogs like this as well as legitimate news sources). I also do my part at the elections to help out. If that makes me one of the "beautiful people" as you put it, than so be it. I will embrace that banner. But you make it sound like being "beautiful person" is shameful and elitist because many of the people in this town do not think or act as you would like. I don't mind controversy. But controversy to be meaningful and productive should be about ideals and differences of opinions, not about indicating individual posters fall into a certain sterotype because of their viewpoints.
Wow, that is interesting - thanks for sharing.
Until about 10? years ago these protest votes along with votes for people who were not candidates were reported. Then the rules were changed. Elected officials did not want anyone to know that a few individuals voted for comic characters rater than their pompous asses.
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