CitizenSugar -- Breaking News, Together.

Texting Democracy: Estonia to Vote by Mobile Phone in 2011

LibertySugar — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:30:29 -0800

American Idol may let you text in your vote, but Estonia will be the first actual country to implement voting by cell phone. Technologically-savvy citizens will place chips into their cell phones, that authenticate identifications, before they cast their ballots for the 2011 parliamentary election.

Estonia has already used online voting, without any major security breaches. In order to prevent coercion that might happen when people vote in private, Estonians can still cancel out their e-votes with a paper ballot. An independent study found that the new vote-by-phone procedure should go off without any manipulation or malfunctions.

Would you like to see more access to democracy from voting options like Internet or phone voting? I guess we'll be looking to E-stonia to see how it's done!
Source

Group Wants to Create a Clothing-Free Polling Site

CitizenSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:30:00 -0800

Talk about exposing your ideals, politics and, well, ahem, all at once. A nudist community in Florida wants to create the first clothing-optional polling site in the US.

According to reports, the Caliente Resorts, located north of Tampa, has approached election officials about the idea. There's nothing in Florida law that would prevent the unusual polling place, but the supervisor of elections says he is opposed to creating any new precincts before redistricting in 2010.

Casting your feelings about nudity aside, do you think citizens should be allowed to vote in the buff?

Source

Voting Bloc: How Will the Amish Vote?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:00:00 -0800

With only 13 percent of eligible Amish voters casting their votes in 2004, they are not the most coveted vote. But with large populations in states like Pennsylvania and Ohio, they are not to be ignored.

Actually, they are kind of being ignored this year — unless you count Obama’s sad attempt to court the electricity-shunning group with the Amish For Obama blog — but in 2004 Bush went all out to woo them with his Southern charm. Without the influence of the Internet or TV, they are some of the most issued-focused voters out there.

How will they vote this year? Will they? To find out,

Polygamous Community Releases Voter's Guide

LibertySugar — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:43:02 -0800

Hoping to move away from the fringe and regain political influence, Utah's polygamous community has released a voter's guide to help members decide how to vote tomorrow.

A coalition of polygamist groups — Communities in Harmony — asked federal, state, and local candidates about their positions on a wide range of topics that impact the once powerful demographic. Of the 150 candidates questioned, 60 responded and were rated on a scale of one to 10. Neither Obama nor McCain responded, but Libertarian candidate Bob Barr received a total score of 7.5.

Politicians who submitted their answers (to questions such as "Should polygamous people have the same right as other Utah citizens to hold public offices?" or "Should the government spend public safety funds disproportionately to target one group of people?") may see a modest bump in the polls. Out of 2.7 million people living in Utah, 37,000 are polygamists. If you were a politician, how would you answer the group's questions?

Source

Add It Up and See — Are You a Swing Voter?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 06:00:52 -0700

"I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of. . . Pennsylvania?" It seems that way anymore, with all attention being lavished upon that holy grail of voter, the Swing Voter. Because like it or lump it, the Electoral College system means the presidential race is decided really by 15ish states — those with the big enough electoral "score" to make a difference in the race to the magic winning number of 270. PA's hefty score makes those votes more attractive and potentially a bigger deal than others. Want to find out how "swingy" your own vote is? Slate has put together this handy calculator to figure out that very thing. Slot in six easy facts about you and see both your "pull" and swing factor. The tool weights the state you're voting in higher than any other factor, and then adds in key demographics about race and education, finishing off with how many people there are like you in your state. The guts of the calculator are based purely on polls, so it is only a close facsimile of voter behavior — but with a week left, if the needle points sharply to one side or the other when you put in your info, clear off the sofa. You can bet one of the campaigns will be paying you a visit. Source

Add It Up and See — Are You a Swing Voter?

I'm oh so swingy! I think I might live in the swing capital of the US.

Pretty middling. No big results one way or the other.

If I were a playground, they'd call me the one without swings. I'm "still" all the way.

Other. I'll explain in the comments.

VA Rules Military Ballots Must Be Counted & Vets Campaign

CitizenSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:15:45 -0700

After watching the documentary Hacking Democracy last night on HBO, the business of counting votes was very much on my mind today (if you're at all curious about electronic voting and accuracy, watch it. It's repeating a lot this month.) This story of counting trouble is hopefully resolved.

In Virginia, the attorney general has just ruled that absentee ballots filled out by members of the armed forces must be counted. This ruling comes after Fairfax county began rejecting overseas ballots for a technicality. Though all votes count, those who can't be here in person to vote because they're serving, that's a vote to count for sure.

Troops may be voting, but veterans are volunteering for both campaigns. To see they're stories,

Man Who Bought 2000 Voting Machine Buried in Chads

CitizenSugar — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 07:00:39 -0700

In a weirdo-political garage sale that keeps on giving, remnants from the 2000 Florida election are a hot commodity. Jim Dobyns, one Republican consultant who purchased 1,200 Votomatic III voting machines from the 2000 election debacle in Florida is starting to see his own returns. In 2005, a man who originally bought the machines from the county was reselling them from his warehouse. When Dobyns saw them all stacked to the ceiling amidst thousands of spilled chads, he bought the whole lot calling his buy the “Holy Grail of the 2000 election."

What does one do with a pile of old voting machines? Well, when the HBO movie Recount wanted to find the very same voting machines at the the center of the controversy, they called Dobyns, who leased them 26 machines for the shoot. Dobyns doesn't own all of them though — to see who else does, and how much a bag of chads is worth,

Front Page: 50% of Doctors Give Placebos, ACORN's Tally Hugely Overstated, Obama's Fundraising Drops 50%

CitizenSugar — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:58:18 -0700

50% of Doctors Give Placebos:
A nationwide study just found that half of all American doctors routinely prescribe placebos. Studies in other countries have found similar results. The most common placebos prescribed are headache and vitamin pills, though stronger drugs have been faked too. 95 percent of doctors prescribing them don't identify them as fake, leading to ethical and trust issues.

ACORN's Tally Hugely Overstated:
Though the community organizing group ACORN stated they had registered 1.3 million new voters, the real number is actually closer to 450,000. The overstated count is due to already registered voters changing their address, and 400,000 registrations rejected by election officials, a faulty rate of 30 percent.

Obama's Fundraising Drops 50%:
Obama reports spending $105 million in the first two weeks of October, while raising $36 million during the same period — a reduction of 50 percent from September. Obama and the DNC have approximately $95 million left. McCain and the RNC report $84 million on hand with restricted spending coming from accepting public financing. McCain is currently spending approximately $1.5 million per day.

Source

Have Voting Questions? Here Are Voting Myths Busted!

CitizenSugar — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:15:01 -0700

Early voting kicked off in Florida today with long lines in the sun, and with voting underway in Colorado and Nevada, even if you've got two weeks to go before you cast your ballot, questions are bound to crop up. The deadline to register to vote here in California was yesterday, and questions were being zapped to me from left and right (heh) about voting eligibility.

Here are some myths busted about what does or doesn't take away your ballot:

Campaign Tees = No Vote?
Nope, but you might have to cover up the offending slogan — and it's not a bad idea to make like your mom always says and take a jacket.
Snafu With Voter Rolls = No Vote?
Nope, but you might have to take an oath swearing you are who you say you are, and live where you say you do. You can also request a provisional ballot from poll workers and call 1-866-OUR-VOTE if problems persist.

To see more myths busted,

Some Schools Canceling Classes On Election Day

CitizenSugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:50:26 -0700

Some Schools Canceling Classes On Election Day School officials and parents across the nation are turning an increasingly critical eye on the time-honored tradition of voters' casting ballots in the gymnasiums and hallways of neighborhood school buildings while classes go on as usual just a few yards away. Citing a litany of safety concerns, many officials are opting to keep youngsters home on Nov. 4, Election Day.

YouTube and PBS Say Tape Your Vote For History and Hijinks

CitizenSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:30:49 -0700

With all of the ACORN and voter registration snafu stories floating around, it's nice to find comfort in the cozy arms of technology. That is to say, if you have a video camera, use it. YouTube and PBS are teaming up to encourage voters to upload any footage of the voting process onto a new website. The Video Your Vote site wants to spark people to "document the energy and excitement, as well as any problems you may see." The best clips will air on PBS.

Some bad-voting situations to be on the lookout for? Excessively long lines, broken voting machines, or "overly aggressive" voter identification procedures. But be careful about local rules before putting on your documentarian hat. Some states aren't excited about having you film — a move that could end up in cuffs. The site has a link to the Citizen Media Law Project to tell you who has laws against what. Florida, Georgia and Michigan all prohibit photos and recording equipment in polling places. Are you planning on recording the day in photo or video?

Officials: FBI Investigates ACORN For Voter Fraud

CitizenSugar — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:23:46 -0700

Officials: FBI Investigates ACORN For Voter Fraud The FBI is investigating whether the community activist group ACORN helped foster voter registration fraud around the nation before the presidential election. A senior law enforcement official confirmed the investigation to the Associated Press on Thursday. A second senior law enforcement official says the FBI was looking at results of recent raids on ACORN offices in several states for any evidence of a coordinated national scam.

Is the ACORN Voter Fraud Story Cause For Concern?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:00:00 -0700

This is nuts, right? (Pun . . . present.) Earlier this week, the Las Vegas offices of the ACORN organization were raided looking for evidence of voter fraud and now the organization's voter registration drives are being investigated in at least half dozen states. In Connecticut, one Republican registrar of voters called to check out a suspicious registration, only to get the hopeful voter's mom on the phone — and to find out that the voter in question is only 12 years old. The RNC says, "This is a group that has tried to undermine and subvert our election system and laws by flooding local election officials with fraudulent cards."In a claim hanging from the same tree, officials in Indiana say that 2,000 registration forms filled out in conjunction with the group are fundamentally suspect. Delivered just before the deadline to register, one member of the Elections Board says, "All the signatures looked exactly the same. Everything on the card filled out looks exactly the same." In Missouri, similar scrutiny, with one official saying, "We have identified about 100 duplicates, and probably 280 addresses that don't exist, people who have driver's license numbers that won't verify or Social Security numbers that won't verify. Some have no address at all." ACORN workers have pleaded guilty for election fraud in the state before. The crux of the situation is complicated, with both sides claiming high stakes. Is the question of Obama's involvement in the controversy (one adamantly refuted by his campaign despite an apparent $800,000 contribution) distracting from the fact it's happening at all? Would removing the partisan aspect make the argument stronger — or does the blame fall square in Obama's lap?Source

Is the ACORN Voter Fraud Story Cause For Concern?

Absolutely, and Obama is directly involved. This is a disgraceful attempt to cheat.

Yes. But I'm less concerned about the Obama connection and more about the fraud.

Distraction. This story is more about being 25 days from the election than actual fraud.

No and no. There is no Obama connection, and maybe no fraud. It's a scare tactic.

Other. I'll cast my nonfraudulent vote in the comments.

Barack Obama First Candidate to Buy MTV Ad Time

LibertySugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:45:00 -0700

For the first time MTV's networks have decided to accept political advertising, and Barack Obama has taken them up on the offer, buying ad time on Comedy Central, VH1, and Spike. While Obama has many fans among musicians and celebrities featured on MTV's networks, he also has won over consumers of that culture. According to a recent USA Today/MTV poll, Obama has a 2-1 lead among 18-29 year-olds.

Obama didn't get the first shot of the campaign season, as the first national political ad to ever air on MTV came in July from a conservative group, attacking Barack as a flip-flopper. Even so he had the advantage in the MTV demographic, and the ads could help solidify the crucial steps of voter registration and turnout among young voters.

Voters in Swing States Removed From Rolls Illegally

CitizenSugar — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:45:49 -0700

Since voting is already under way in Ohio, this Times investigation of voters being removed from the rolls in violation of federal law is troubling to say the least. At least six swing states appear to have illegally removed voters, ironically while these states were trying to comply with the 2002 Help America Vote Act intended to, um, help America vote.

Just how the states have deviated from the law varies: in Colorado and Michigan they're removing voters less than 90 days out from an election (not OK except in cases of death); Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina, and Ohio seem to be misusing Social Security data to verify voter registration (as illustrated in this graphic); and three other states have troubling use of the data as well. Under federal law, using Social Security data to verify voter registration is to be an absolute last resort as federal databases are less reliable than state.

To see what the investigation found,

ACORN Office in Vegas Raided in Voter-Fraud Probe

CitizenSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 12:07:49 -0700

ACORN Office in Vegas Raided in Voter-Fraud Probe Nevada state authorities are raiding the Las Vegas headquarters of an organization that works to get low-income people to vote. A Nevada secretary of state's office spokesman said Tuesday that investigators are looking for evidence of voter fraud at the office of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, also called ACORN. Meanwhile NM officials have caught a glitch that would have prevented votes from being counted.

MI GOP Official Sues News Website Over 'Lose Your Home Lose Your Vote' Story

CitizenSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:25:51 -0700

MI GOP Official Sues News Website Over 'Lose Your Home Lose Your Vote' Story A Republican official in Michigan has filed a defamation suit against an independent news site, over a story in which he is quoted as stating his party plans to challenge voters whose names and addresses appear on foreclosure lists. Just a few days after the article was published, Carabelli back-tracked on his statement, telling the Macomb Daily that the party has "no plans to do anything." Later, he issued a full-throated denial, calling the original article "not true."

Voting Starts Today in OH — What's Your Registration Status?

CitizenSugar — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:51:05 -0700

While election day is still 35 days out (who's counting?) today marks the day Ohio residents can start casting their ballots. The opening of the flood gates comes just a day after Ohio courts ruled that new voters can register and cast an absentee ballot on the same day. Both candidates have been in the state, raising a little Buckeye and enthusiasm for their campaigns ahead of bringing on the vote. If you're holding a ballot in your hand and you're still not sure, Google has a rad (yep, I said it. Rad.) tool to help you search quotes from the candidates by subject. Go play and learn!Ohio isn't the only state allowing early voting. States like IA, VA, NV, NM, and NC, all allow early and absentee voting. For some, the question isn't when to vote, it's are they registered — for a bunch of reasons. In Houston, some groups are calling for an extended deadline following Hurricane Ike — lots of voters are more worried about where to sleep, than if they're registered.Are you similarly concerned about the deadline to register, and whether you are or not? You're in luck! The deadline is quickly approaching — check out the list from Rock the Vote to see when your state falls. Saturday, October 4 has deadlines for RI, SC, and WA. Put it on your list of things to do! Think you might be registered but want to check? VotePoke will tell you. Source

Voting Starts Today in OH — What's Your Registration Status?

I'm the voting equivalent of locked and loaded. I'm registered and ready to go!

I'm taking care of it today. I swear. Thank you for the gentle (?) reminder.

Not sure, but I'm figuring it out with these great tools.

Not registered, and not really into it.

Other. I'll vote in the comments.

Front Page: Japan Confirms New PM, Poll Finds 18 Percent Undecided, Bailout Shockwaves

CitizenSugar — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 06:56:48 -0700

Japan Confirms New PM:
Conservative Catholic Taro Aso became Japan's new Prime Minister today with promises to revive Japan's economy and keep the country vigilant in the fight on global terror. The 68-year-old former Olympic skeet-shooter said, "The mission is not for Afghanistan, the US or for Pakistan, but it's a responsibility as a member of the international community to fight against terrorism. We must continue the mission by all means."

Poll Finds 18 Percent Undecided:
A new AP/Yahoo poll finds that 18 percent of likely voters are still undecided or willing to change their minds, now just five weeks before casting ballots. The economy was the biggest issue to most respondents and the indecision stems from not knowing which candidate will help the situation most.
Bailout Shockwaves:
After five hours of testimony in front of the Senate Banking Committee, the details of the $700 billion bailout plan "did not abate the growing discontent,” according to one House Republican who opposes the plan. George W. Bush expressed extreme confidence that the "discontent" will be resolved and said, "I am confident when it's all said and done, that there will be a robust plan." However, former President Jimmy Carter called the plan "faulty," amid news that the FBI has begun a fraud investigation into the four major financial firms involved in the current financial crisis.

Source

Geek Tip: Use Your Xbox and Register To Vote

CitizenSugar — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 05:55:06 -0700

Geek Tip: Use Your Xbox and Register To Vote If you haven't registered to vote cause of one lame excuse or another ("I don't know how," "I don't have time," or my fave "It's too complicated") then I have fabulous news for you – you can now easily register to vote using your Xbox! With all the time you spend playing games, the least you can do is make your voice heard in between Gears of War sessions and Mountain Dew runs.

Michigan Asks: Does Foreclosure Take Away Right to Vote?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:15:45 -0700

The housing crisis suddenly has a whole new address: voting rights. Yesterday the chairman of the Macomb County Republican Party was quoted in the Michigan Messenger as saying he's set to assign election challengers with "a list of foreclosed homes and [we] will make sure people aren't voting from those addresses." The statement voting laws, which require an address and a desire to make sure proper election procedures were followed. Furor erupted immediately, with Project Vote issuing the following statement: The Macomb County GOP's plan is a cynical partisan attempt to suppress the vote of thousands of low-income and African-American voters. . . . Just because you're behind on your mortgage doesn't mean you lose the right to vote. . . the challengers will still achieve nothing but to slow down voting and create an intimidating atmosphere at strategically chosen polls.

The chairman has since announced to the Detroit News, "I never said anything even close to that. We won't be doing voter challenges on foreclosures, and we've never had a plan to do it." Challenges are allowed at the polls if the challenger "knows or has good reason to suspect" a voter isn't eligible, a rule the Secretary of State has clarified to need "reliable sources or means." There's also a new state law requiring voters to produce photo identification.Outdated addresses could be a very real problem this election. Ohio earlier this summer said that 3,700 people are registered to vote at vacant addresses, and another 27,000 have filled out change-of-address notices without updating their registration. Will foreclosures and outdated voter lists affect the accuracy of the results? Source

Michigan Asks: Does Foreclosure Take Away Right to Vote?

If you don't live at your registered address, it's voter fraud. Challenging that is good!

Nonsense! As long as you only cast one vote, your address is irrelevant. Scare tactics!

I can see how using foreclosure lists isn't fair, but voting accuracy has to be protected.

Other. Give me the address and I'll tell you in the comments.

Where I'm Clicking Now: FiveThirtyEight Electoral Predictions

CitizenSugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Now that the conventions are finally (!!!) upon us, it's time to start paying attention to the end game, the big Nov. 4. With the presidency pegged on who grabs the majority of the electoral votes (the magic 270), the website FiveThirtyEight is one-stop shopping for all the data you'll need to suss out the horse race.

Calling themselves "Electoral Projections Done Right," and named for the number of electors in the electoral college, the mission of the site is to:

Accumulate and analyze polling and political data in way that is informed, accurate and attractive. Most narrowly, to give you the best possible objective assessment of the likely outcome of upcoming elections.

To see how it stands out, the incredible thoroughness of its methods, and whether it has a crystal ball,

Nays Have It: Ohio Says No to Voting Machine "Sleepovers"

CitizenSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 13:20:30 -0700

Nays Have It: Ohio Says No to Voting Machine "Sleepovers" Poll workers will not be allowed to take voting machines home for safekeeping in the days before the November presidential election because the practice known as sleepovers is an unacceptable security risk, the state elections chief said Tuesday. Taking machines home makes it nearly impossible to keep track of what happens to a machine or memory card once it goes into the custody of a poll worker. The changes are meant to address actual security concerns — including the fear that machines could be tampered with.

Can I See Some ID, Sir? Dick Cheney Carded At Voting Booth

CitizenSugar — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 12:07:52 -0700

Can I See Some ID, Sir? Dick Cheney Got Carded at Voting Booth Vice President Cheney got carded. Not for drinking but for voting. It happened at the Teton County clerk's office yesterday in Wyoming, when the vice president, accompanied by his wife and a secret service detail, dropped in unexpectedly to cast an absentee ballot in next Tuesday's primary election. An election worker, Mike Farady, asked the vice president for his driver's license.

Ease & Access vs. Security & Responsibility: Voting Too Easy?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:53:57 -0700

I filled out my voter registration card months before I turned 18. It sat on my dresser impatiently until finally I was old enough to send 'er in. It was fun and easy. This election, the very process of voter registration has sparked passionate points of view: this editorial advocates for a minimal civics test that hopeful voters would have to pass in order to wield the power of the punch card. He says, "I really don't want someone on the streets of Hollywood, who just failed to identify the vice president of the United States on one of Jay Leno's "Jay-Walking" segments, helping to select the person who will lead my government for the next four years." Given that we require basic knowledge to become a citizen or operate a motor vehicle, is choosing the future of the country a responsibility that should have stricter requirements? Despite this opinion, the US seems to be moving away from more restrictions, to easy-as-pie-voting. A new Ohio voting law allows for a window of time (Sept. 30-Oct. 6) during which voters can register and vote early, immediately. Voting registration is controversial and there's a partisan aspect to the split according to this piece in the WSJ: Traditionally, Democrats favor fewer checks on verification and greater access to voting to encourage larger turnouts, particularly among lower-income and minority voters, who tend to favor Democrats. Republicans usually push for closer monitoring, in such forms as laws with strict requirements for voters to present identification, which can result in lower turnout.

Does an ever increasingly easy/free-for-all access to voting a requirement of a democracy, or does the gravity of the task of voting deserve stricter requirements and heightened security measures?Source

Ease & Access vs. Security & Responsibility: Voting Too Easy?

Ease & Access! More people voting is better. Less restrictions equals more democracy.

Security & Responsibility. It's not hard now, fill out the card! The test is a good idea too.

Other. I'll leave my easy vote in the comments.

Poor Ballot Design Could Play Big Role In Election

CitizenSugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:55:20 -0700

Poor Ballot Design Could Play Big Role in Election Poorly designed ballots continue to plague US elections, even after Congress set aside $3 billion to overhaul voting systems to prevent a recurrence of the flawed Florida ballots that deadlocked the 2000 presidential race, a study out today concludes. Problems with confusing paper ballots in 2002, absentee ballots in 2004 and touch-screen ballots in 2006 led thousands of voters to skip over key races or make mistakes that invalidated their votes, according to the study.

Rock (Out) the Vote! Parties and Prizes Raise Voter Turnout

LibertySugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:00:18 -0700

Cast a vote! Win a prize! English voters may soon have motivation to cast a vote that goes beyond civic duty. One official wants to enter voters into a raffle when they cast a ballot in local elections. She hopes it would lead to high turnout and overall community engagement.

About 150 years ago, Americans spent election day enjoying free (alcoholic) beverages and live entertainment with friends. These parties, along with the 90 percent voter turnout, remain in the past.

But, a recent test study conducted by Yale University political scientists found that well-advertised parties at the polls substantially increased voter turnout in a local election.

Does celebratory or solemn make for a better polling mood? Would you worry that "incentives" could send the wrong message or get partisan?

Source

Ever Wondered Why Jehovah's Witnesses Don't Vote?

CitizenSugar — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 10:00:55 -0700

I'm not so much a sportsy-follower and admit that I didn't know that Serena Williams is a Jehovah's Witness until she started talking about Barack Obama in this Slate piece, but I'm glad she did — this is fascinating stuff. Do you know why Jehovah's Witnesses tend not to vote? Passages like John 17:14 where Jesus says of those who follow him: "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." This other-worldliness is what Jehovah's Witnesses have interpreted as a directive to remain above terrestrial concerns like the election and neutral in all political matters.

Though voting isn't completely prohibited it's cautioned against — the Watchtower, the official publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses has suggested that whether to stop into the voting booth was one of personal conscience. Not limited to voting, Witnesses also don't serve in the military, pledge allegiance to the flag, or run for office.

The cautioning against politics does work — only 13 percent are registered to vote, and though they're the biggest religious group that opts out of voting, there are others, like the Amish and the Rastafarians (though even their attitudes have altered the last few years.) Is God a big reason to stay vote-free? In the US about 2 percent of people who don't register to vote cite religion as the reason.

Source

VA Dashes GOTV, Nixing Registration Drives. Right Idea?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 08:00:00 -0700

One might assume those who'd fought for their country would be an important and respected voting population. One might also assume that the Department of Veterans Affairs would be in favor making that happen, much easier. One would be el wrongo. Voting rights groups are ganging up on the Department of Veterans Affairs for its decision to ban voting registration drives among the veterans living at federally run nursing homes, shelters for the homeless and rehabilitation centers across the country.Though the voting drives make it easier for veterans to have a say in the process, the VA is pulling the plug, citing the Hatch Act — which bans federal employees from engaging in partisan political activity. It's the "federally run" part of the facilities causing the VA to be ballot-shy. A spokesman for the VA says they, “wanted to ensure that our staff remains focused on caring for our veterans instead of having to determine the political agenda of each group that might try to enter our facilities.”The president of the League of Women Voters counters, “it just seems wrong to the league that the VA is erecting barriers to voter registration for our nation’s veterans. They appear to be using technicalities to block many veterans from registering to vote.”Both Democrats and Republicans alike have criticized the ban. More than 100,000 people live for at least a month in one of these facilities every year. That's a lot of potential votes from a population who should be heard. Is the VA right? Would voting drives disrupt care and create a partisan atmosphere? Source

VA Dashes GOTV, Nixing Registration Drives. Right Idea?

No, no, no! The VA is using a technicality to disenfranchise veterans. Not right at all.

As long as the drives are just to register to vote and not for specific candidates, fine.

Yes. Allowing politics to enter a care facility — especially a federally run one, is wrong.

Other. The VA can't stop me from leaving a comment.

Sick of Politics? Israelis Feel Nauseous Just Hearing the Word

CitizenSugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:00:16 -0700

Think you're tired of politics? A survey by the Israel Democracy Institute, an independent research group, found that a third of Israelis felt nausea, revulsion, or depression when they even thought about the word "politics."

In the survey conducted earlier this year, 1,201 adults were questioned in Hebrew, Arabic or Russian, and researchers found that only 60 percent expressed any interest in politics, a drop of 15 percentage points from their 2006 survey. When asked to make a list of trustworthy institutions, the army topped the list with political parties lurking on the very bottom.

One possible cause of the scorn? Israel's political scene has been rocked by scandal after scandal. From Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s troubles involving cash stuffed envelopes, a former justice minister convicted of forcibly kissing a female soldier, to 15 of the 120-seat parliament having been indicted, convicted, or are under investigation, the public’s trust is eroding quickly. The survey Institute’s president supported this, “The rise of antipolitical sentiment reaches the point of deligitimizing the political system and decision-making processes. It is not only about this person or that – it is the entire system. The Israeli public is turning its back on politics.”

Do you feel their pain? To see the affect of the government scorn,

Three Things You Need to Know About Michigan and Florida

CitizenSugar — Sat, 31 May 2008 07:30:51 -0700

We're about to hear the end of the big Michigan/Florida do-the-delegates-count snafu — and they're showing the whole debate live now! I just know you're popping the popcorn and settling in to watch the whole shebang — here are three things to know while you watch the showdown.

The Role of Republicans in the Florida Trouble:

Were the Democrats sabotaged? Though Florida's Republican-controlled state legislature determined the date of the primary and Republican lawmakers did push vigorously for an early contest, it started with a Democrat. State Sen. Jeremy Ring introduced the legislation to reschedule the primary He said, "one thing you can be sure of," he said that Florida will be relevant during the primaries.” He's also said that he wasn't duped by anyone. Then the voting. Not one Democratic member of the state House voted against the measure, and hardly any opposition in the Senate.

I promised three, and I will not ask for a change of the rules after the beginning of the game — for the rest,

"Reason of Insanity" Men Get Voting Rights Back. Right Idea?

CitizenSugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 15:46:28 -0700

The Rhode Island Board of Elections has reinstated the voting rights of two men who had them taken away last year. The men were found two decades ago to be not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. However, they now live in a psychiatric center and neither man had ever been released from mental care custody.Rhode Island law says both convicted felons and those “lawfully adjudicated to be non compos mentis” — or sane — aren't allowed to vote. Lawyers for the men appealed for their right to ballot on the grounds that the finding of insanity applied only to “a brief period of time” and that “since it covers a brief period of time, it didn’t seem to persuade the Board of Elections that the men should lose their right to vote.” Let's remember that the "brief period of time" was long enough to let them escape being charged with murder, though they killed four people between them.The subject of felons getting to vote came up when we were all watching Recount — the Florida felon list played heavily into the plot. Is the right to vote something that should be taken away permanently? Do we need a more nuanced system where those convicted of federal felonies could re-earn voting rights? Or should we be even more selective as to who gets to pick our leaders? Was Rhode Island right to reinstate the rights of the mentally ill men? Source

"Reason of Insanity" Men Get Voting Rights Back. Right Idea?

Totally. They stood trail in the appeal so they're not insane — they should get to vote.

Rights should be considered on a case-by-case basis. These men earned the right back.

Are you crazy? They weren't found guilty of murder because of insanity! No votes!

Other. I'll tell you my opinion in the comments.

Hey Voters — Can You Prove You're a Citizen on Demand?

LibertySugar — Tue, 13 May 2008 10:00:25 -0700

Who gets to vote is becoming a partisan issue, just like who gets a vote.

Mostly Republicans in 19 states have proposed legislation that would require proof of citizenship at the voting booth. Not content with the strict identification requirements recently upheld by the Supreme Court, these states want to make sure illegal immigrants are not voting, and improve voter confidence in the system.

Democratic leaders oppose strict ID laws, saying they disproportionately keep poor, disabled, elderly, and minority citizens away from the polls. Birth certificates, for example, take weeks to get, cost money, and may be difficult to track down if they are lost or kept out of state.

Missouri's secretary of state estimates that the law would disenfranchise 240,000 citizens unable to prove citizenship on such short notice. That number could be significant in November, as Missouri is a swing state that will likely go Red or Blue by a thin margin.

Do we have to protect the rights of citizens who may have difficulty obtaining proof? Which is a graver risk: letting a non-citizen vote, or keeping a citizen from exercising the voting — the quintessential act of democracy? What if we could review votes later to disqualify non-citizens, while attaching stiffer penalties for fraud?

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Is Internet Voting OK For Troops Overseas?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:30:52 -0700

Everybody wants a say in who our next president will be this year. Especially the people whose lives will be most affected by the decisions of our next commander in chief: US troops overseas.As it turns out, a vote from the other side of the world is not easily cast. Ballots are often not ready until 45 to 30 days before an election. Add two weeks of transit time and very mobile troops — most of the two-thirds of returned ballots in 2006 were undeliverable — and we have an ineffective system.To combat the disenfranchisement of the troops, this year 13 states will allow them to vote via email and districts in another seven will allow voting over the Internet. It sounds like a simple solution, but electronic voting of any kind is still fraught with trouble. Concern over not having a paper trail in the event of voter fraud and the security risk of transmitting personal information (birthdates, addresses, Social Security numbers) run high.Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita said, "What people want ultimately is a safe, electronic system for voting, and nothing has been developed yet that passes the test." Indiana voting also had its day in the Supreme Court today, with a 6-3 ruling upholding Indiana's strict photo ID requirement, which Democrats and civil rights groups said ironically might deter poor, elderly, and minority voters from casting ballots.What do you think? Should troops overseas be allowed to vote over the wild, wild Web?Source

Is Internet Voting OK For Troops Overseas?

Of course! Let's try it out on a small scale so we can all have our Internet voices heard!

It's a good solution for the troops, but we need stricter controls here to combat fraud.

The Web is too easily compromised. Soldiers need to have their voices heard securely.

Other. Hey! This is like Internet voting! I'll tell you my opinion in the comments.

Is Your Pantry Partisan? Having Our Vote and Eating It Too?

CitizenSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:01:59 -0700

In a tight race, political advisers have to stop at nothing to figure out how voters are thinking — all the way down to scrutinizing what's in their shopping carts. By looking closely at consumer behavior, including how people eat, savvy advisers are seeing a way to scavenge for votes. In the voting biz it's called microtargeting (hello Soccer Moms!) and it's as much political discipline as cute concept.

In the Coke-vs-Pepsi United States, the brands we buy and how we spend our free time can be a pretty good predictor of our politics. So the same way you get a mailbox full of targeted catalogs, people can figure out your votes based on shopping habits.

Although advisers still consider gender, religion, and other big categories most useful, info about eating, travel, and hobbies provide a good second-tier crystal ball into the mind of the voter. Clintonite Mark Penn wrote a book all about this practice of microtargeting — and said about Obama in an email just last week, “He has more of the arugula vote.” Are you an arugula or an iceberg vote? To see which parties eat what,

Global Totals: Italy's Candidates Say "Buongiorno!"

CitizenSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 09:00:03 -0700

Earlier today we took a peek at a little history behind the curtain of Italian politics. While we wait for the results in their election (notoriously inaccurate exit polls show Berlusconi with a lead for now) let's crack open some Chianti and meet the candidates.

Silvio Berlusconi, the would-be three-term premier, is known for his off-color humor. How off? Like, I don’t know, maybe once saying, “Chinese communists used to eat children”? He later apologized, of course, and is widely considered Italy’s most entertaining politician. Funny résumé tidbit? The self-made man was once a cruise-ship singer. While the tips were probably great, he made his real euros as a businessman, in particular an empire of privately-owned television stations. But for an Italy teetering on the edge of recession, his business acumen is what the people want.

His opponent may sound familiar to those following the US elections. To see why,

Global Totals: Italy Votes . . . Again!

CitizenSugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:14 -0700

Think Italians are best known for hot cars and delicious food? How about their wild and wooly politics? Italians head to the polls again today in a second day of voting to elect Italy’s 63^rd prime minister since the end of World War II. Keeping score at home? We’ve only had 11 presidents in that window. How about a break from the US election? Let’s take a peeksy at what the Italians have been up to — and then meet the top two candidates later today.

The Italians called early elections in January after the prime minister up and quit. This is not as sensational as it sounds: In the last 50 years, all but one government — that of conservative Silvio Berlusconi’s from 2001-2006 — have dissolved before their time. Why the revolving door? To find out,

Out of Africa: Kenya Hits Two Finish Lines

CitizenSugar — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 09:16:55 -0700

In Kenya today President Mwai Kibaki named rival Raila Odinga prime minister. The power-sharing deal became official after lengthy negotiations over the agreement they signed more than a month ago.

The two became locked in heated debate over the governing of Kenya following disputed elections between them last December. The official announcement of the agreement is a welcome finish line as deadly violence spurred by the election has left more than 1,000 people dead and around 300,000 displaced.

Another Kenyan crossed a triumphant finish line this morning at the London Marathon. Martin Lel won the London Marathon for the third time in four years, finishing in 2 hours, 5 minutes, 15 seconds.

Other Africans running in the marathon today included a group of Maasai warriors, hoping to raise money to build a well in their village, Eluai, in Tanzania. To see the distinctive athletes in action,

Global Totals: Zimbabwe Election Results Baffling

CitizenSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:00:00 -0700

The results of the Zimbabwe election over the weekend seem a little like spring weather: if you don't like it, wait five minutes. Not just eager voters awaiting results, even news outlets are conflicted over how to report the tallies that are being released in a trickle, batch-by-batch.

In just the past few moments, the Washington Post reports, "Initial Tallies Show Mugabe Vulnerable, and All Africa says, "Mugabe Set to Claim Victory." Not to be outdone, the International Herald Tribune says, "Zimbabwe's Ruling Party and Opposition Tied in Early Poll Results."

The longer the results take, the more voters worry that untoward action on the vote totals is happening behind the scenes. And they have reason to worry — to see why,

Global Totals: Voting in Zimbabwe

CitizenSugar — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:06:13 -0700

Zimbabweans are voting for president, parliament, and local councils today. Current President Robert Mugabe, 84, is up for reelection amid controversy that voting will be fair. Mugabe insists he is fighting a legitimate contest saying, "why should I cheat? The people are there supporting us. The moment the people stop supporting you, then that's the moment you should quit politics."

Among other red flags in this election are an additional 3 million printed paper ballots above the number of actual voters, as well as "ghost voters" and "ghost polling stations" allegedly uncovered by one of Mugabe's competitors. Even if Mugabe overcomes those charges and wins today, he returns to work in a country facing an official inflation level of 100,580.2 percent, and an unemployment level that is above 80 percent.

I think we have some readers from Zimbabwe — please tell us what you saw today! Do you think the elections were fair?
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What Do Your Drinking Habits Say About How You Vote?

LibertySugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 03:00:26 -0700

Beer guzzlers are more likely to vote Republican, and wine connoisseurs are more likely to vote Democrat. That's according to refreshing poll results released by CNN and the Opinion Research Corporation about how drinking habits correlate to voting. John McCain's lead among brewski drinkers, however, evaporates against Barack Obama, as the two are tied among that group in a head-to-head match up. And, the most shocking result from the poll: about 50 percent said that they never drink, under any circumstance. I'm curious about the methodology.Alas, you can bring it all back to gender and class stereotypes. The poll showed that women, people with a high income, and the college educated prefer wine. Men, and the working class, generally prefer beer. Should the candidates bring their campaigns to the bars? Do your drinking preferences reveal anything about you?Source

What Do Your Drinking Habits Say About How You Vote?

I like strong beer and strong Republicans.

I'll take a cold one, and a Democratic president.

I'm a red wine Republican.

I'll take a glass of sauvignon blanc with my universal health care.

I like wine coolers. Does that make me undecided, or just lame?

I take shots of wheat grass, sporting my Ralph Nader button.

I stay sober, so I don't talk about politics with the wrong people.

Other. I'll tell you in the comments.

Iranian Election Draws Large Turnout

CitizenSugar — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 10:30:56 -0700

Iranians appeared to have turned out in large numbers yesterday to vote in nationwide parliamentary elections. In Tehran, lines formed at major mosques where polling took place.

Opinions differed between young voters who supported reform ideas, like one 27-year-old Iranian who said, “I am voting because I did not vote in the two previous elections. As a result, people I don’t like were elected, and their policies have affected my life,” and more conservative voters who support President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The Interior Ministry extended polling hours to encourage high turnout, which was expected to be between 50 and 60 percent. Reformist supporters feared unfair balloting practices and complained Friday of irregularities and discrimination at polling places as well as the decision by the Interior Ministry to announce the election results only after the vote tally was final. Results had always been announced as they were tallied in the past while counting continued. This change makes some suspicious of government interference in the results.

Source