What the "Others" Want

[Terraceth]

In fairness, I feel the people who do early voting are the ones least likely to change their minds before election day.

The removal or restriction of early voting also makes lines at the polls themselves even worse, because you have more people who have to vote on that particular day.

[Cow Poke]

In fairness, I feel the people who do early voting are the ones least likely to change their minds before election day.

Guilty.

The removal or restriction of early voting also makes lines at the polls themselves even worse, because you have more people who have to vote on that particular day.

Yup.

[carpedm9587]

Guilty

I KNEW it...

[Cow Poke]

I KNEW it...

If I were waiting for more information about a particular candidate, or weren't 100% sure for whom I wanted to vote, I'd wait til the day of. As it turns out, one of the candidates for whom I voted, but was rather hesitant, lost by a significant margin, for which I am somewhat relieved.

[NorrinRadd]

Absolutely not! The ones least likely to "citizenship literate" are the poorest and youngest. In this age of "vote for the home team," there is absolutely no justification for such a test.

I have absolutely no qualms about disenfranchising the young and poor if they are also ignorant.

[carpedm9587]

I have absolutely no qualms about disenfranchising the young and poor if they are also ignorant.

Then, by that argument, we should likewise disenfranchise everyone that has moved into a mindless "vote for my team" model with no knowledge of the positions and backgrounds of the players - they just get the ballot and vote solid R or D all the way down the ticket. So we need a basic test for admission into the polling place that tests for knowledge of the candidate positions. The very idea is ludicrous.

I would never advocate either that or the test you are suggesting. An informed electorate is important - but we achieve that through looking at our education system - not by removing people from the ability to vote because they don't meet a specified knowledge/behavior criteria.

[Cow Poke]

Then, by that argument, we should likewise disenfranchise everyone that has moved into a mindless "vote for my team" model with no knowledge of the positions and backgrounds of the players - they just get the ballot and vote solid R or D all the way down the ticket...

Not in Texas anymore.

Gov. Abbott signs bill to eliminate straight-ticket voting beginning in 2020

[JimL]

In fairness, I feel the people who do early voting are the ones least likely to change their minds before election day.

The removal or restriction of early voting also makes lines at the polls themselves even worse, because you have more people who have to vote on that particular day.

Yes but the larger lines at the polls will only effect democrat voters since closing polling places in mostly democratic districts is a republican voter suppression tactic, so no prob there for unethical republicans.

[JimL]

I have absolutely no qualms about disenfranchising the young and poor if they are also ignorant.

How about ignorant people your age?

[carpedm9587]

Not in Texas anymore.

Gov. Abbott signs bill to eliminate straight-ticket voting beginning in 2020

Umm...this doesn't do what I think you think it does. What the bill forbids is a simple mechanism that, with one check or darkened circle, they can automatically vote for all of the Republicans or Democrats. The bill doesn't outlaw "straight-party" voting. It just requires the voters to find the (R) or (D) behind each name and vote on them independently. I would love to see the data, post implementation. I'll bet straight-party voting doesn't change one iota. The primary impact of this bill (I am betting) will be to lengthen the time needed to vote, and so either lengthen the lines (and hence the wait time) or require additional voting booths.

[Cow Poke]

Umm...this doesn't do what I think you think it does. What the bill forbids is a simple mechanism that, with one check or darkened circle, they can automatically vote for all of the Republicans or Democrats. The bill doesn't outlaw "straight-party" voting. It just requires the voters to find the (R) or (D) behind each name and vote on them independently. I would love to see the data, post implementation. I'll bet straight-party voting doesn't change one iota.

Yes, it does exactly what I think it does -- it makes it less likely that somebody will get elected at the bottom or middle of the ticket just because somebody wanted to vote for a particular "top of the ticket" individual.

Of course you can still check each and every "down ticket" person or issue, and all on "one side" or "the other" if you wish to take the time to do so.

[Cow Poke]

...The primary impact of this bill (I am betting) will be to lengthen the time needed to vote, and so either lengthen the lines (and hence the wait time) or require additional voting booths.

Oh, for cryin' out loud. SERIOUSLY?!?!?! That's JimL-level reasoning.

[Cow Poke]

As I understand it, the "straight-party" ticket issue is about "down-ticket" elections, particularly judges.

Where more and more Democrats were voting "straight party", particularly in Harris and Travis Counties, it is less likely that people will be casting an informed vote for their local judges.

The Democrats used to hate straight-party voting - now they're going to hate not having it. Yes, it's political, but I don't think it has anything to do with attempting to lengthen the lines at polling places.

[JimL]

As I understand it, the "straight-party" ticket issue is about "down-ticket" elections, particularly judges.

Where more and more Democrats were voting "straight party", particularly in Harris and Travis Counties, it is less likely that people will be casting an informed vote for their local judges.

The Democrats used to hate straight-party voting - now they're going to hate not having it. Yes, it's political, but I don't think it has anything to do with attempting to lengthen the lines at polling places.

Ending straight party voting in Texas doesn't apply to non-partison elections so I doubt that Abbots, or the republican parties reasoning for ending the practice, has anything to do with the election of local judges.

[Cow Poke]

Ending straight party voting in Texas doesn't apply to non-partison elections so I doubt that Abbots, or the republican parties reasoning for ending the practice, has anything to do with the election of local judges.

You are entitled to remain totally ignorant on this issue.