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Post by katlady on Jun 8, 2016 1:14:56 GMT
Watching the election results today, I was wondering why there is not a set time for the entire U.S. to vote, say 11AM EST to 11PM EST. Being on the west coast, by the time we vote for a president most of the results are already in and many people feel like their votes don't really matter much. If the entire U.S. were voting at the same time, wouldn't there be more incentive for people to vote since they will feel like their votes count? Hawaiians and Alaskans might have a hard time due to the time zone differences, but most of the mainland U.S. should be able to vote during those times.
Just a random thought that popped into my head tonight.
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Post by mlynn on Jun 8, 2016 1:29:39 GMT
They could use a 24-huor voting period and time zones would become irrelevant.
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Post by mellyw on Jun 8, 2016 1:32:26 GMT
Because then we wouldn't be tortured with months & months of campaigning?  |
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Post by missmiss on Jun 8, 2016 1:40:35 GMT
Don't forget all the fund raising money that would be lost.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Jun 8, 2016 1:53:06 GMT
I thought there was? for the nov election. I mean, all the states have their primaries, etc at different times, and some states don't even have primaries. But for the main final nov election there are set times.
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Post by pierkiss on Jun 8, 2016 2:05:17 GMT
Sweet baby Jesus how I wish that were the case!
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raindancer
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Post by raindancer on Jun 8, 2016 2:05:55 GMT
I thought there was? for the nov election. I mean, all the states have their primaries, etc at different times, and some states don't even have primaries. But for the main final nov election there are set times. They almost always call it before the west coast, Hawaii and Alaska polls close I the national election. I refuse to buy into the "your vote counts" commentary while we have an electoral college. That simply isn't true. |
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jun 8, 2016 2:06:49 GMT
I thought there was? for the nov election. I mean, all the states have their primaries, etc at different times, and some states don't even have primaries. But for the main final nov election there are set times. The times vary by state... by the time the polls close on the east coast they are still open in the West. I think the OP is suggesting that polls should be open from like 11am EST to 11PM EST and 8 am PST to 8PM PST so the polls would open and close all across the country at the same time. I think that would work in a presidential election IF businesses and schools etc were closed. Otherwise it might be tough for people to get to the polls. |
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raindancer
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Post by raindancer on Jun 8, 2016 2:11:11 GMT
They could use a 24-huor voting period and time zones would become irrelevant. This and eliminate the electoral college and we might see some real change I who gets out and votes. |
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Post by JustKim on Jun 8, 2016 4:07:10 GMT
Let all the votes come in and get counted and announce a week later. That way everyone's count. I also think all of these primary's are too much. By the time it's over I am so done with it.
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Post by katlady on Jun 8, 2016 4:38:45 GMT
I thought there was? for the nov election. I mean, all the states have their primaries, etc at different times, and some states don't even have primaries. But for the main final nov election there are set times. The times vary by state... by the time the polls close on the east coast they are still open in the West. I think the OP is suggesting that polls should be open from like 11am EST to 11PM EST and 8 am PST to 8PM PST so the polls would open and close all across the country at the same time. I think that would work in a presidential election IF businesses and schools etc were closed. Otherwise it might be tough for people to get to the polls. Yes, that is what I meant. Thanks! All polling stations across the country open and close at the same time. 8AM to 8PM is already pretty close to what we have in California. They actually open at 7AM. |
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Post by refugeepea on Jun 8, 2016 4:44:55 GMT
I refuse to buy into the "your vote counts" commentary while we have an electoral college. That simply isn't true. Your vote also doesn't matter if you live in a state with few electoral votes, it's not a swing state, and if your state's votes always go towards the party you don't vote for. |
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mimima
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Post by mimima on Jun 8, 2016 5:09:13 GMT
It would be nice, wouldn't it?
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Dani-Mani
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Post by Dani-Mani on Jun 8, 2016 10:39:24 GMT
Watching the election results today, I was wondering why there is not a set time for the entire U.S. to vote, say 11AM EST to 11PM EST. Being on the west coast, by the time we vote for a president most of the results are already in and many people feel like their votes don't really matter much. If the entire U.S. were voting at the same time, wouldn't there be more incentive for people to vote since they will feel like their votes count? Hawaiians and Alaskans might have a hard time due to the time zone differences, but most of the mainland U.S. should be able to vote during those times. Just a random thought that popped into my head tonight. Those hours would be incredibly difficult for people who work in the eastern and central time zones and I would predict turn out would go way down. |
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wellway
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Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Jun 8, 2016 11:03:39 GMT
Non American sticking her nose in, why not the same hours (e.g. 7.00am to 10.00pm) in each time zone but the ballot boxes across the country can only be opened when the final polling stations close? Or electronic files (whatever you use).
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jun 8, 2016 11:41:16 GMT
Non American sticking her nose in, why not the same hours (e.g. 7.00am to 10.00pm) in each time zone but the ballot boxes across the country can only be opened when the final polling stations close? Or electronic files (whatever you use). Technically that is what happens but the media does exit polling and they report the "predicted " results which are pretty accurate before the polls close in the Western US. |
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Post by shescrafty on Jun 8, 2016 11:42:05 GMT
I don't understand why the primaries are not all on the same day. Just get it over with already!
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jun 8, 2016 11:42:50 GMT
Watching the election results today, I was wondering why there is not a set time for the entire U.S. to vote, say 11AM EST to 11PM EST. Being on the west coast, by the time we vote for a president most of the results are already in and many people feel like their votes don't really matter much. If the entire U.S. were voting at the same time, wouldn't there be more incentive for people to vote since they will feel like their votes count? Hawaiians and Alaskans might have a hard time due to the time zone differences, but most of the mainland U.S. should be able to vote during those times. Just a random thought that popped into my head tonight. Those hours would be incredibly difficult for people who work in the eastern and central time zones and I would predict turn out would go way down. And it would be even trickier when you include Alaska and Hawaii. Maybe a 24 hour period with no results reported until the end of that period. Might help with the 3 hour wait at some polling places. |
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ellen
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Post by ellen on Jun 8, 2016 12:26:01 GMT
Or maybe people on the west coast should just vote anyway. It's not like it's just one election on the ballot.
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quiltz
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Post by quiltz on Jun 8, 2016 12:51:35 GMT
Those hours would be incredibly difficult for people who work in the eastern and central time zones and I would predict turn out would go way down. And it would be even trickier when you include Alaska and Hawaii. Maybe a 24 hour period with no results reported until the end of that period. Might help with the 3 hour wait at some polling places. The media sharks wait for 24 hours, that would never happen in this social media frenzy world. |
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Post by cade387 on Jun 8, 2016 13:15:02 GMT
I think there was talk of making Election Day a federal holiday that required time off work or something. I thought I saw a blurb about it somewhere. I think we should go back to biblical times - everyone has to go to their place of birth to be counted - you could apply voting rules like a census |
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raindancer
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Post by raindancer on Jun 8, 2016 13:35:53 GMT
Non American sticking her nose in, why not the same hours (e.g. 7.00am to 10.00pm) in each time zone but the ballot boxes across the country can only be opened when the final polling stations close? Or electronic files (whatever you use). Technically that is what happens but the media does exit polling and they report the "predicted " results which are pretty accurate before the polls close in the Western US. I don't think that's true. They start saying what percentage of each state are counted. I don't think they call it via exit polls. |
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Post by anxiousmom on Jun 8, 2016 14:03:28 GMT
Exit polls always confuse me. I have never once, in all the years that I have been voting, been asked a single question as I exit my voting place. Neither has anyone else I know. They do the polls at random places, usually the big cities, and I just can't wrap my brain around how they are able to come up with a projected winner based on the samples they choose. Florida, for example, is a giant state with several distinct and varied populations demographically. The north can be skewed in a different direction than the south. The west coast and the east coast? Different. Interior and exterior? Different. And all the small towns vs. the big cities? Oh my gosh, very different. It makes no damn sense.  |
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Jun 8, 2016 14:17:21 GMT
I think a 24 hour period would introduce some logistical problems. I know our poll workers often work the entire day - a 12 hour shift. A longer shift would require more poll workers and security would have to be more than doubled (I think you would need more security at night, especially in some areas).
In all fairness though, we have to be getting very close to the time when we have electronic voting where going to a physical polling place is optional. I know some (most? mine does not) states have options for early voting.
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Post by 2peaornot2pea on Jun 8, 2016 15:43:07 GMT
Every vote DOES count. There are other issues and down ballot candidates to be voted on besides who will hold the office of President.
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Post by Darcy Collins on Jun 8, 2016 15:52:31 GMT
Technically that is what happens but the media does exit polling and they report the "predicted " results which are pretty accurate before the polls close in the Western US. I don't think that's true. They start saying what percentage of each state are counted. I don't think they call it via exit polls. Depends on the state and how close it's polling. They've absolutely called races with zero precincts reporting. I'm sure it also depends on the news organization - I've noticed cnn has become more and more aggressive to call first, |
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jun 8, 2016 17:11:08 GMT
From what I understand particularly in Presidential elections that the pollsters can almost predict who will win based on how many people go to the polls. They can look at voter turnout and determine who will win, they look at pre-election polling and then the focus on swing districts in swing states and really it usually down to just a few places that will actually sway the results. Most (not all) of us vote the same way every election.
The NEP National Election Poll is done by the major news organizations and exit poll results are by agreement not released until the polls have closed in a particular state. I think the reality between what they are supposed to do and what they do.. is pretty huge.
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 8, 2016 17:19:27 GMT
We are in the same boat in Colorado... it's usually called about the time we are voting (if you were voting after work that is)... but yeah, I wish every vote counted... it sure doesn't work that way though.
I am almost to the point I really don't care who wins. I can't stand either one.
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raindancer
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Post by raindancer on Jun 8, 2016 17:22:26 GMT
Every vote DOES count. There are other issues and down ballot candidates to be voted on besides who will hold the office of President. Ok. I concede the point that your vote counts except you livery in the west and not in california, when you are voting for the office of potus. But since we are talking about that I thought that was clear. My vote in Idaho and Arizona never counted. The election was called as our polls were barely closed and hawaii, Alaska and west coast states were voting. Only California is a questiom. |
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Post by freecharlie on Jun 8, 2016 17:35:32 GMT
I believe there is currently a federal law that keeps states in line.
I don't object to polling times changing, but it would have to be very specific or we'd end up with them on different days.
It won't change because neither Alaska nor Hawaii has the electoral power to change anything but a tied election.
The electoral college was designed so that even if you didn't live in the most populous area, your vote still counted (long before the amount or population and states we have now). The theory is that even though Kansas doesn't have a huge population compared to an east coast state, its people are still represented because the needs and strengths if Kansas are different than those of Maryland.
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