I know I'm spitting in the wind here,

[raccoon]

because I've posted this sort of thing before and get no responses.

Some of you post about Americans who "can't get off their lazy asses to go vote" and "don't bother to vote" , etc.

In a way, you have a point.

However, there are those who don't vote because they are working. They don't have any leave; if they don't work, they don't get paid. They are making crappy wages, so every hour they can work counts. They can't just leave work for a few hours to go vote--and get docked.

And there are some, I'm sure, who can't go vote because they can't get permission from the employer to go vote and they would get fired if they did go vote.

And I don't have any solutions for any of this. Unless these people could vote by mail, like absentee voting.

[Coexist]

1. In Florida - voting occurs over a 5 (I think) day period

it is an early voting program, and I don't have the numbers handy which would tell whether or not it helped increase numbers. You might want to research it.

Here is a link: http://enight.dos.state.fl.us/earlyvoting.shtml

[raccoon]

4. Thanks for the link. I'll look into it. nt

[BlueEyedSon]

2. MAKE ELECTION DAY A MANDATORY NATIONAL HOLIDAY

i believe this is the case in some other countries.

Furthermore, you get fined for NOT voting in Australia and Brazil (possibly elsewhere).

[mark11727]

13. Are you required to produce a RECEIPT in Australia and Brazil...?

...because then we'd really have a paper trail.

[BlueEyedSon]

20. LOL... i guess voters leave with some kind of proof for later....

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. Make it a holiday

Or allow early voting. It's not that complicated, of course it would help dems vote, so it's a steep uphill battle.

[raccoon]

6. You know that's right. nt

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. We have vote by mail here in Oregon...

and the highest voter turnout in the nation. :)

Some people don't like the idea, but I LOVE it.

[formerrepuke]

5. Well, the polls do open early- and close late.. for people who

work an 8-hour day there is time to vote. For those who work 10-12 hours a day.. AND do not work in the same place they vote, you have a point. There has been some proposal for making the voting period a solid 24-hours.

[raccoon]

8. The 24 hours is a great idea. nt

[havocmom]

16. And in certain states, the polls don't have enough equipment

to allow quick voting. Seems especially troublesome in precincts with high ratio of WORKING CLASS DEM registration.

Those who have to work, as they have no benefits allowing for time off, and have the least accommodating bosses, seem to also have the most problem-plagued precincts. Wonder why that is :think:

[kentuck]

7. But in a "democracy" like Iraq, they planned elections around holidays...

and weekdays. I think they voted on Saturdays?

[raccoon]

9. That's a good idea.

Maybe some Alpha-Centaurians will bring democracy to the US! :silly:

[blm]

10. There are Dem lawmakers who favor it as a national holiday w/pay.

So far, no GOPs are interested in that idea.

[Greyhound]

11. Just another excuses. Every State I've lived in has some means available

to vote if you can't/don't want to go to the polls, and the turn-out is no higher there than anywhere else. Face it, the sheeple just don't care, and won't care until it hits them directly. (maybe not even then)

[Earth_First]

12. There is always ABSENTEE VOTING:

There really is no excuse.

[Lindsay]

19. IIRC, my state (NC) expects proof

that you are actually going to be absent if you want an absentee ballot.

We do, however, have early voting.

[raccoon]

22. Somebody mentioned upthread that FL has early voting too.

Which I think is a great idea.

I wonder how many people know about the early voting option. A lot, I hope.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. British polls stay open 15 hours

7am to 10pm, which should allow nearly all people to get there at some time. We have also allowed anyone to get an absentee vote without having to give a reason, though I'm not convinced that is a good idea, since our postal vote system at least is rather open to fraud.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

18. less fraud than Diabold, imho. nt

[WilliamPitt]

17. Election days should be national holidays

[Viva_La_Revolution]

21. Morning Will

How's things in the big time?

:hi:

[WilliamPitt]

25. Busy

but good.

:toast:

How's by you?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

26. fair to midlin'...

No new job yet, but on the other hand, going drinkin with DU'ers this weekend.

:beer:

:)

[CornField]

23. Polls are open for extended periods of time

I know here in Iowa they are open (at least for the bigger elections) from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. In addition, there is absentee voting, which (again here in Iowa) is open to anyone, for any reason. I absentee vote so that I can continue to campaign and poll watch on election day.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

24. With extended voting and absentee

and all sorts of accommodations for everyone, there really is no excuse.