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Posted by colleen.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #190, Gompei, from Massachusetts Academy of Math and Science and WPI.

Posted on 11/10/2000 11:44 AM MST


In Reply to: i really feel sorry for florida... posted by Jay on 11/9/2000 4:33 PM MST:



I respect Buchanan for his comments-- it's obvious they can't assume that ALL those people were trying to vote for Gore, but even when the candidate himself says he shouldn't have that many votes, there's a major issue to be solved..

Low voter turnout (from Jess' post) unfortunately should not mean that the people who do vote shouldn't be counted... i mean 19,000 people went to the polls and are not being counted... yes, some ballots were double marked-- no, those SHOULD NOT be counted.. but many votes were thrown out because people (most often older) circled their choice rather than punched a hole.. since Florida could not count those by machine, they did not count them at all..

If only certain people's votes are going to matter, we have issues. People double-voting on a ballot is inexcusable.. but 19,000 people weren't that stupid.. and the 1000's of people who tried voting for Gore but the hole's didn't line up desire to recast their vote as well.. Yeah, everyone wants to end this.. but people's say in their government should not be compromised because the higher-ups don't feel like spending the time and money--

I would say the only fair way to solve Florida would be allow those people who voted in the first election (names are checked and kept-- or should be) to recast their votes.. if they change them, that's their choice.. but really.. and when those votes come in (or even the ones now) they should be counted BY HAND. Sending a beam of light through a punched hole is not very efficient.. and has been disgarded by many other states (including mine of massachusetts) because of it's inefficiency in reading clearly punched ballots..

And before the next election-- a UNIVERSAL method of voting has to be made and adopted by every county in every state of this nation.. if we are all using the same machines and processes, at least the margin of error is the same all around and no one would be at an advantage or disadvantage...