Improving elections and ballot counts
Improving elections and ballot counts
Our esteemed state legislature is in session - and all citizens have reason for hope and fear. Lets touch on hope this morning.
There are several proposed laws that would begin
There are several proposed laws that would begin
Our esteemed state legislature is in session - and all citizens have reason for hope and fear. Lets touch on hope this morning.
There are several proposed laws that would begin to clean up our messy and convoluted election process. At least one would get the two major political parties out of helping to run - and screw up - our election procedures.
Currently, after an election, the county canvassing board may audit an election by hand counting sample precincts. Under our laws the two political party hacks tell the canvassing board which precincts to count. Yes, this is rife with possible corrupt opportunities. And aside from hanky panky, we should not be allowing these private organizations - and that is what political parties are - to be involved in the running of our elections and ballot counts. Check the link at the end of this post to read the proposed law itself.
Most citizens would be slack jawed if they learned how intertwined the Republican and Democratic Parties are in our election processes. We subsidize them with our tax dollars through their caucuses in Olympia. Tell a legislator that and watch them bristle. But it is true. The Party hacks - the paid professional slick behind the scenes operators - have almost carte blanche in Olympia, going through doors the rest of us are forbidden to enter. They think they run the place and at times they do.
This law - or amendment to a law - is a small step in the right direction. Lets hope our local six elected representatives support it. But lets not count on it. We need to nudge them, so to speak.
Lets get the political parties back to choosing and running candidates for office - and out of running our elections. They have stacked the deck against democracy.
There are several proposed laws that would begin to clean up our messy and convoluted election process. At least one would get the two major political parties out of helping to run - and screw up - our election procedures.
Currently, after an election, the county canvassing board may audit an election by hand counting sample precincts. Under our laws the two political party hacks tell the canvassing board which precincts to count. Yes, this is rife with possible corrupt opportunities. And aside from hanky panky, we should not be allowing these private organizations - and that is what political parties are - to be involved in the running of our elections and ballot counts. Check the link at the end of this post to read the proposed law itself.
Most citizens would be slack jawed if they learned how intertwined the Republican and Democratic Parties are in our election processes. We subsidize them with our tax dollars through their caucuses in Olympia. Tell a legislator that and watch them bristle. But it is true. The Party hacks - the paid professional slick behind the scenes operators - have almost carte blanche in Olympia, going through doors the rest of us are forbidden to enter. They think they run the place and at times they do.
This law - or amendment to a law - is a small step in the right direction. Lets hope our local six elected representatives support it. But lets not count on it. We need to nudge them, so to speak.
Lets get the political parties back to choosing and running candidates for office - and out of running our elections. They have stacked the deck against democracy.
