Major Problems with Voting Machines in Two States

The Men Who Wanted to Be Left Alone“The most terrifying force of death comes from the hands of Men who wanted to be left Alone. They try, so very hard, to mind their own business and provide for themselves and those they love. They resist every impulse to fight back, knowing the forced and permanent change of life that will come from it. They know that the moment they fight back, their lives as they have lived them, are over.
The moment the Men who wanted to be left alone are forced to fight back, it is a form of suicide. They are literally killing off who they used to be. Which is why, when forced to take up violence, these Men who wanted to be left alone, fight with unholy vengeance against those who murdered their former lives.
They fight with raw hate, and a drive that cannot be fathomed by those who are merely play-acting at politics and terror. TRUE TERROR will arrive at these people’s door, and they will cry, scream, and beg for mercy… but it will fall upon the deaf ears of the Men who just wanted to be left alone.”
– Author Unknown

Voting doesn’t need to be this complicated! I vote in a Rural Area of Mississippi at a Baptist Church. (So much for separation of Church and State here.) There are a little over 1,000 people in the precinct and 2 groups of 4 old ladies put in a 16 hour day overseeing the elections. The process has a bit of pomp and circumstance, one lady calling out your name, two verifying the Roll, and other having you sign “The Book” as she hands you your ballot. It’s pretty much the same four ladies in the morning when I vote, 2 Republican and 2 Democrat, though the precinct is 2/3 Democrat.

We vote on Paper Ballots and there is an electronic tabulator. I’m told they also do a hand count before Certifying the results. It takes them 30 to 45 minutes to count the votes for most elections. Turnout rarely exceeds 60%, but today they are expecting a 75% to 80% turnout. I voted just before noon and turnout was over 40%. There were about a half dozen “observers” sitting around in back playing cards. Not unusual since this something of a farming and retirement area and the election is actually in the Church Recreation Building.

This should be the norm for voting again. Small precincts, everyone knowing the Election Officials, and Voting being something of a Social Event. Voting Day should be a National Holiday so almost no one can say they didn’t have a chance to vote. Voting should be in person on Election Day, to reduce hanky-panky. I am confident that voting in my precinct is on the up and up and doubt anyone questions that. The process is too open and corralling small precincts like this by a political “Machine” would be very visible because there are to many ad hoc observers like myself socializing.

There are 1766 Precincts in Mississippi and just under 2 million Voters, so a precinct size of only 1200 maximum should be a good number and a goal Nationwide.

As to things like voting Machine malfunctions, their needs to consequences. First the Official Responsible all the way up to the Secretary of State should be investigated for Corruption and/or Malfeasance. The Machine Manufacture should be drug into court by each county with a malfunctioning machine (in any manner) and Fined as the Jury determines – PERIOD! We need to make Machine Voting very costly! Voting should not be easy, it should be deliberative, in person, on Paper!