POLL Who Are You Voting For in the Presidential Election?
- Thread starter Turtle
- Start date
Kentucky is one of those few states left that does not allow early voting unless you have an excuse, such as that you'll be out of the county on Election Day, are in the military and will be confined to the base, or you are stationed overseas. Also, if you are of advanced age, ill, disabled, etc. You can vote in person or by mail.
I am of the very strong belief that the federal government should stay clear of regulations regarding elections, since how elections are done in the states are one of the very few things over which the states still have control. The Constitution specifies that the states handle the voting, but it doesn't say how, or even when they have to hold the elections (other than within the 32 day Electoral College time frame). A 1792 law made it so that the states had to have their elections at any time in the 34-day period before the first Wednesday of December, which was the day set for the meeting of the Electors to vote for the President and Vice President.
As improved communications (railroad, telegraph) arose, problems crept up when the outcome in early voting states began to influence the elections of the states voting later. You had large swathes of the electorate engaging in revenge voting, as well as lemming voting. You also had a few situations where the entire election rested on the outcome of the one or two final states to vote, which opened up all kinds of options for coercion, bribery and fraud.
It was in 1845 when Congress enacted the national election day for presidential electors (states were and still are free to hold state and local elections on whatever day they like). They chose the first Tuesday after the first Wednesday in November for several reasons. One, it would always mean that Election Day was within the 34 day time frame of the Electoral College on the first Wednesday of December. It was also a time of year when the fall harvests were done (agrarian society back then), and it didn't interfere with the Sabbath since most Americans observed that day as a holy one. And since people had to travel to the county seat to vote, on roads well before asphalt, Monday made a good travel day, and the Tuesday didn't interfere with the traditional Wednesday Farmer's Market Day.
They didn't want it to fall on November 1st no matter what, since that's All Saints Day, a holy day of obligation for Roman Catholics that is also observed by some orthodox Christians and some Protestants. And on the first is when most merchants did their books from the previous month. And, members of Congress were worried that the economic success or failure of the previous month might prove an undue influence on the vote. (You didn't think "It's the economy, stupid!" was invented in the 1980s did you?)
OK, so may of the reasons we have election day on the first Tuesday after the first Wednesday in November no longer apply. Because we're no longer an agrarian society, having it on a workday is actually a little cumbersome, and inconvenient, so I fully understand the reasons behind early voting. But I think with a national Election Day we also need to have a national limit on early voting, like maybe 15 days, tops. I am not opposed to having the polls open nationwide at 6 AM Eastern Time and remain open nationwide for exactly 24 hours, either.
The problem comes with that undue influence the early voting states have, that the original law was specifically intended to prevent. Polls on the east coast close as early as 6 PM, three hours before the polls close on the west coast (not to mention Alaska and Hawaii). With this early voting crap, we now have news organizations tracking down those early voters and asking them how they voted, literally an early exit poll, and they are now reporting the results of those "exit" polls. By reporting 'in this or that state Hillary Clinton has a commanding lead in the exit polls of early voting' can cause Election Day Clinton voters to just stay home, and it can cause Trump voters to turn out in force. Or, it could cause Hillary voters to rally and jump on the pile, and Trump voters to give up and just stay home.
I think the early reporting of exit polls before the polling stations have closed in a state is nothing short of election tampering. I think the citizen's vote should either be recorded and published in real time, or the free press should have a muzzle placed on their free speech until the polls close.
Hey do you think Trump has any chance in Minnesota?
Who knows? We elected Ventura governor in 1998 as a third party independent. He beat out two career political clowns from the major parties. Sanders trounced Clinton in the Democratic Caucuses but Trump came in way behind Rubio and Cruz in the Republican Caucuses.
As a third party candidate Gary Johnson could have a chance. Ya, hafin a name like Johnson carries some veight here in Minnesoda, ya, you betcha.. Oaky den it could come down to voting for a crook or a kook; Hillary or Donald.
Bill Clinton use to run for President on a 'two for one deal'. Same deal now. A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote for Bill Clinton.
Shame on them if they aren't. Everyone should vote, as long as they're alive and only vote once. Make your voice heard!
We already have, absentee. Now to wait and see what happens.
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
According to my early voting exit poll data, Trump leads by a wide margin on this E.O. Presidential Poll. I predict Trump the winner, Johnson a distant second and Clinton last. Since most E.O. members are business people we tend toward less government regulation and interference in our businesses and daily lives.
If Johnson had more and early national exposure he coulda been a contender on this E.O. Poll. He coulda been somebody. Clinton will get some votes but mostly from people who aren't expediters or business people.
If Johnson had more and early national exposure he coulda been a contender on this E.O. Poll. He coulda been somebody. Clinton will get some votes but mostly from people who aren't expediters or business people.
JohnWC
Veteran Expediter
I think Libertarians should start working on the next election now we might stand a chance
