Electoral Reform
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Introduction Voting In-Person Through Physical Secret Ballot
CL 166/13 – Information Note 1 – April 2021 Alternative Voting Modalities for Election by Secret Ballot Introduction 1. This note presents an update on the options for alternative voting modalities for conducting a Secret Ballot at the 42nd Session of the Conference. At the Informal Meeting of the Independent Chairperson with the Chairpersons and Vice-Chairpersons of the Regional Groups on 18 March 2021, Members identified two possible, viable options to conduct a Secret Ballot while holding the 42nd Conference in virtual modality. Namely, physical in-person voting and an online voting system. A third option of voting by postal correspondence was also presented to the Chairpersons and Vice- chairpersons for their consideration. 2. These options have since been further elaborated in Appendix B of document CL 166/13 Arrangements for the 42nd Session of the Conference, for Council’s consideration at its 166th Session under item 13 of its Agenda. During discussions under item 13, Members not only sought further information on the practicalities of adopting one of the aforementioned options but also introduced a further alternative voting option: a hybrid of in-person and online voting. 3. In aiming to facilitate a more informed decision by Members, this note provides additional information on the previously identified voting options on which Members have already received preliminary information, and introduces the possibility of a hybrid voting option by combining in- person and online voting to create a hybrid option. 4. This Information Note further adds information on the conduct of a roll call vote through the Zoom system. Such a vote will be required at the beginning of the Conference for the endorsement of the special procedures outlined in Appendix A under item 3, Adoption of the Agenda and Arrangements for the Session, following their consideration by the General Committee of the Conference at its first meeting. -
Voter Turnout in Texas: Can It Be Higher?
Voter Turnout in Texas: Can It Be Higher? JAMES MCKENZIE Texas Lyceum Fellow WHAT’S THE TAKEAWAY? In the 2016 presidential election, Texas’ voter turnout Texas’ voter turnout is among placed near the bottom of all the states, ranking 47th. In the lowest in the nation. Texas’ recent 2018 mid-term election, which featured a Low turnout can lead to policies closely contested US Senate race and concurrent favoring the interests of gubernatorial election, not even half of eligible voters demographic groups whose (46.3%) participated.1 members are more likely to vote. Low voter turnout is not a recent phenomenon in Texas. Tex- There are deterrents to as has consistently lagged the national average in presidential registering and voting that the elections for voter turnout among the voting eligible popula- state can address. tion (VEP). In fact, since 2000, the gap between Texas’ turn- out and the national average consecutively widened in all but Policies such as same-day registration, automatic voter one election cycle.2 Texans may be open to changes to address registration, mail-in early voting, low turnout. According to a 2019 poll by the Texas Lyceum on and Election Day voting centers Texans’ attitudes toward democracy, a majority (61%) agreed could help. that “significant changes” are needed to make our electoral system work for current times.3 VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 6 | SEPTEMBER 2019 2 DOES VOTER TURNOUT MATTER? This report addresses ways to boost voter Voter turnout is often considered the curren- participation in both population sets. cy of democracy, a way for citizen’s prefer- ences to be expressed. -
D-1 Americans for Campaign Reform John D
APPENDIX D NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OFFERING RESOURCES FOR CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORMERS Americans for Campaign Reform John D. Rauh, President 5 Bicentennial Square Concord, NH 03301 phone: 603-227-0626 fax: 603-227-0625 email: [email protected] www.just6dollars.org Americans for Campaign Reform is a non-partisan grassroots campaign to restore public accountability and increase participation in American politics through public financing of federal elections. American University School of Communication Prof. Wendell Cochran 4400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20016-8017 phone: 202-885-2075 fax: 202-885-2019 e-mail: [email protected] www1.soc.american.edu/campfin/index.cfm The American University School of Communication has a campaign finance project with its own web site, normally housed at the top URL but temporarily at the lower one. Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law Monica Youn, Senior Counsel, Democracy Program 161 Avenue of the Americas, 12th Floor New York, NY 10013 phone: 646-292-8342 fax: 212-995-4550 e-mail: [email protected] www.brennancenter.org The Democracy Program of the Brennan Center for Justice supports campaign finance reform through scholarship, public education, and legal action, including litigation and legislative counseling at the federal, state, and local levels. The Brennan Center has served as litigation counsel for proponents of reform in cases throughout the country and encourages reformers to call for legal advice throughout the legislative drafting process. D-1 Brookings Institution Thomas E. Mann, Senior Fellow 1775 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036 phone: 202-797-6000 fax: 202-797-6004 e-mail: [email protected] www.brookings.edu The Brookings Institution maintains a web page specifically addressed to campaign finance issues (http://www.brookings.edu/topics/campaign-finance.aspx). -
Black Box Voting Ballot Tampering in the 21St Century
This free internet version is available at www.BlackBoxVoting.org Black Box Voting — © 2004 Bev Harris Rights reserved to Talion Publishing/ Black Box Voting ISBN 1-890916-90-0. You can purchase copies of this book at www.Amazon.com. Black Box Voting Ballot Tampering in the 21st Century By Bev Harris Talion Publishing / Black Box Voting This free internet version is available at www.BlackBoxVoting.org Contents © 2004 by Bev Harris ISBN 1-890916-90-0 Jan. 2004 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form whatsoever except as provided for by U.S. copyright law. For information on this book and the investigation into the voting machine industry, please go to: www.blackboxvoting.org Black Box Voting 330 SW 43rd St PMB K-547 • Renton, WA • 98055 Fax: 425-228-3965 • [email protected] • Tel. 425-228-7131 This free internet version is available at www.BlackBoxVoting.org Black Box Voting © 2004 Bev Harris • ISBN 1-890916-90-0 Dedication First of all, thank you Lord. I dedicate this work to my husband, Sonny, my rock and my mentor, who tolerated being ignored and bored and galled by this thing every day for a year, and without fail, stood fast with affection and support and encouragement. He must be nuts. And to my father, who fought and took a hit in Germany, who lived through Hitler and saw first-hand what can happen when a country gets suckered out of democracy. And to my sweet mother, whose an- cestors hosted a stop on the Underground Railroad, who gets that disapproving look on her face when people don’t do the right thing. -
Suppose You Want to Vote Strategically
DONALD SAARI Suppose You Want to Vote Strategically e honest. There have been times when you voted strate- To check, suppose five voters prefer the candidates Anita, Bgically to try to force a personally better election result; Bonnie, and Candy in that order, denoted by ABC, six oth- I have. The role of manipulative behavior received brief ers prefer CBA, and the last four prefer ACB. While it doesnt attention during the 2000 US Presidential Primary Season seem like anything can go wrong, lets check. when the Governor of Michigan failed on his promise to • By voting for one candidate, the commonly used plural- deliver his states Republican primary vote for George Bush. ity system, Anita wins with a 60% landslide; the ACB out- His excuse was that the winner, John McCain, strategically come has the 9:6:0 tally. attracted cross-over votes of independents and Democrats. • Bonnie failed to receive a single plurality vote, yet she McCains strategy was just the accepted behavior of en- wins when each voter votes for her top two candidates couraging supporters who can vote, to vote. But lets pursue where the BCA outcome has the 11:10:9 tally. this issue further; lets question whether the power of math- • Candy? She wins with the procedure offering 5 and 4 ematics can help identify when and how you can strategically points, respectively, to a voters first and second choices; alter the election outcome of your fraternity, sorority, social the CAB outcome has a 46: 45: 44 tally. group, or department to force a personally better conclusion. -
Twitter and Millennial Participation in Voting During Nigeria's 2015 Presidential Elections
Walden University ScholarWorks Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies Collection 2021 Twitter and Millennial Participation in Voting During Nigeria's 2015 Presidential Elections Deborah Zoaka Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations Part of the Public Administration Commons, and the Public Policy Commons Walden University College of Social and Behavioral Sciences This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by Deborah Zoaka has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made. Review Committee Dr. Lisa Saye, Committee Chairperson, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. Raj Singh, Committee Member, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Dr. Christopher Jones, University Reviewer, Public Policy and Administration Faculty Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.D. Walden University 2021 Abstract Twitter and Millennial Participation in Voting during Nigeria’s 2015 Presidential Elections by Deborah Zoaka MPA Walden University, 2013 B.Sc. Maiduguri University, 1989 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University May, 2021 Abstract This qualitative phenomenological research explored the significance of Twitter in Nigeria’s media ecology within the context of its capabilities to influence the millennial generation to participate in voting during the 2015 presidential election. Millennial participation in voting has been abysmally low since 1999, when democratic governance was restored in Nigeria after 26 years of military rule, constituting a grave threat to democratic consolidation and electoral legitimacy. The study was sited within the theoretical framework of Democratic participant theory and the uses and gratifications theory. -
Randomocracy
Randomocracy A Citizen’s Guide to Electoral Reform in British Columbia Why the B.C. Citizens Assembly recommends the single transferable-vote system Jack MacDonald An Ipsos-Reid poll taken in February 2005 revealed that half of British Columbians had never heard of the upcoming referendum on electoral reform to take place on May 17, 2005, in conjunction with the provincial election. Randomocracy Of the half who had heard of it—and the even smaller percentage who said they had a good understanding of the B.C. Citizens Assembly’s recommendation to change to a single transferable-vote system (STV)—more than 66% said they intend to vote yes to STV. Randomocracy describes the process and explains the thinking that led to the Citizens Assembly’s recommendation that the voting system in British Columbia should be changed from first-past-the-post to a single transferable-vote system. Jack MacDonald was one of the 161 members of the B.C. Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform. ISBN 0-9737829-0-0 NON-FICTION $8 CAN FCG Publications www.bcelectoralreform.ca RANDOMOCRACY A Citizen’s Guide to Electoral Reform in British Columbia Jack MacDonald FCG Publications Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Copyright © 2005 by Jack MacDonald All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system, now known or to be invented, without permission in writing from the publisher. First published in 2005 by FCG Publications FCG Publications 2010 Runnymede Ave Victoria, British Columbia Canada V8S 2V6 E-mail: [email protected] Includes bibliographical references. -
Cause and Effect in Political Polarization: a Dynamic Analysis*
Cause and Effect in Political Polarization: A Dynamic Analysis * Steven Callander † Juan Carlos Carbajal ‡ July 23, 2021 Abstract Political polarization is an important and enduring puzzle. Complicating attempts at explanation is that polarization is not a single thing. It is both a description of the current state of politics today and a dynamic path that has rippled across the political domain over multiple decades. In this paper we provide a simple model that is consistent with both the current state of polarization in the U.S. and the process that got it to where it is today. Our model provides an explanation for why polarization appears incrementally and why it was elites who polarized first and more dramatically whereas mass polarization came later and has been less pronounced. The building block for our model is voter behavior. We take an ostensibly unrelated finding about how voters form their preferences and incorporate it into a dynamic model of elections. On its own this change does not lead to polarization. Our core insight is that this change, when combined with the response of strategic candidates, creates a feedback loop that is able to replicate many features of the data. We explore the implications of the model for other aspects of politics and trace out what it predicts for the future course of polarization. Keywords: Political Polarization, Electoral Competition, Dynamic Analysis, Behavioral Voters. *We have benefited from the helpful comments of Avi Acharya, Dave Baron, Gabriel Carrol, Char- lotte Cavaille, Dana Foarta, Jon Eguia, Gabriele Gratton, Andy Hall, Matt Jackson, Keith Krehbiel, Andrew Little, Andrea Mattozzi, Nolan McCarty, Kirill Pogorelskiy, an Editor, two anonymous refer- ees, and seminar audiences at Stanford GSB, University of Warwick, University of Sydney, LSE, the Econometric Society Summer Meetings, the Australasian Economic Theory Workshop, and the Aus- tralian Political Economy Network. -
Youth Voter Participation
Youth Voter Participation Youth Voter Participation Involving Today’s Young in Tomorrow’s Democracy Copyright © International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) 1999 All rights reserved. Applications for permission to reproduce all or any part of this publication should be made to: Publications Officer, International IDEA, S-103 34 Stockholm, Sweden. International IDEA encourages dissemination of its work and will respond promptly to requests for permission for reproduction or translation. This is an International IDEA publication. International IDEA’s publications are not a reflection of specific national or political interests. Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the views of International IDEA’s Board or Council members. Art Direction and Design: Eduard âehovin, Slovenia Illustration: Ana Ko‰ir Pre-press: Studio Signum, Slovenia Printed and bound by: Bröderna Carlssons Boktryckeri AB, Varberg ISBN: 91-89098-31-5 Table of Contents FOREWORD 7 OVERVIEW 9 Structure of the Report 9 Definition of “Youth” 9 Acknowledgements 10 Part I WHY YOUNG PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE 11 A. Electoral Abstention as a Problem of Democracy 13 B. Why Participation of Young People is Important 13 Part II ASSESSING AND ANALYSING YOUTH TURNOUT 15 A. Measuring Turnout 17 1. Official Registers 17 2. Surveys 18 B. Youth Turnout in National Parliamentary Elections 21 1. Data Sources 21 2. The Relationship Between Age and Turnout 24 3. Cross-National Differences in Youth Turnout 27 4. Comparing First-Time and More Experienced Young Voters 28 5. Factors that May Increase Turnout 30 C. Reasons for Low Turnout and Non-Voting 31 1. Macro-Level Factors 31 2. -
Setting up Polling Place on Election
ELECTION JUDGE/COORDINATOR HANDBOOK | GENERAL ELECTION 2020 CHAPTER 4 SETTING UP THE POLLING PLACE ON ELECTION DAY ELECTION DAY - 5:00 AM TO 6:00 AM Chapter 5 includes step-by-step instructions on all the procedures you need to know to set up the polling place on Election 5 Day. Please review this chapter very carefully. You only have one hour on Election Day to set up and organize all the equipment and materials. IMPORTANT! Before you open the doors SETTING UP THE POLLING PLACE - STEP BY STEP to the polling place, you MUST do the Do you have all the materials and equipment? following: Review the diagram of the ESC in Chapter 4 on page 20 to see where materials and equipment are • Set up the e-poll books (see step 8). located. For a listing of Election Day materials and equipment, see the Supply List (Form 21) in the • Begin the update of the e-poll books by sleeve of the door of the ESC. 5:15 am. • Check the equipment is labeled for your Do you know what you need to do? precinct and ward. First, read the quick overview of all the procedures, steps #1-18. Then, go on to the detailed instructions for each of the steps starting on the next page. Rules for Election Coordinators & All Judges Quick Overview: Setting Up the Polling Place • You MUST report to the polling place by 5:00 am and no later. ❏ 1. Check the polling place for a portable ramp. • Let poll watchers with proper credentials ❏ 2. -
The Effects of Secret Voting Procedures on Political Behavior
UC San Diego UC San Diego Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Voting Alone: The Effects of Secret Voting Procedures on Political Behavior Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/50p7t4xg Author Guenther, Scott Publication Date 2016 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO Voting Alone: The Effects of Secret Voting Procedures on Political Behavior A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science by Scott M. Guenther Committee in charge: Professor James Fowler, Chair Professor Samuel Kernell, Co-Chair Professor Julie Cullen Professor Seth Hill Professor Thad Kousser 2016 Copyright Scott M. Guenther, 2016 All rights reserved. The Dissertation of Scott M. Guenther is approved, and it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: Co-Chair Chair University of California, San Diego 2016 iii DEDICATION To my parents. iv EPIGRAPH Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead. { Benjamin Franklin v TABLE OF CONTENTS Signature Page................................... iii Dedication...................................... iv Epigraph......................................v Table of Contents.................................. vi List of Figures................................... viii List of Tables.................................... ix Acknowledgements.................................x Vita........................................ -
Chapter 08-Talion
Company Information 63 This free internet version is available at www.BlackBoxVoting.org Black Box Voting — © 2004 Bev Harris Rights reserved. ISBN 1-890916-90-0. Paperback version can be purchased at www.Amazon.com 8 Company Information (What you won’t find on the company Web sites) If anything should remain part of the public commons, it is voting. Yet as we have progressed through a series of new voting methods, control of our voting systems, and even our understanding of how they work, has come under new ownership. “It’s a shell game, with money, companies and corporate brands switching in a blur of buy-outs and bogus fronts. It’s a sink- hole, where mobbed-up operators, paid-off public servants, crazed Christian fascists, CIA shadow-jobbers, war-pimping arms dealers — and presidential family members — lie down together in the slime. It’s a hacker’s dream, with pork-funded, half-finished, secretly-programmed computer systems installed without basic security standards by politically-partisan private firms, and pro- tected by law from public scrutiny.” 1 The previous quote, printed in a Russian publication, leads an article which mixes inaccuracies with disturbing truths. Should we assume crooks are in control? Is it a shell game? Whatever it is, it has certainly deviated from community-based counting of votes by the local citizenry. We began buying voting machines in the 1890s, choosing clunky mechanical-lever machines, in part to reduce the shenanigans going This free internet version is available at www.BlackBoxVoting.org 64 Black Box Voting on with manipulating paper-ballot counts.