The truth comes out

[The Vorlon]

Personally, I have no problem with counting every last single ballot, count them twice, or even 3 times.... I really don't care...

The REAL issue is that we have to have CLEAR set of standards as to what a "vote" actually is, and what a registered voter is.

As somebody who has actually been in the room counting ballots, I can tell you first hand that voters do strange things with their ballots, and there are ballots where "there clear intent of the voter" can be what ever a partisan person wants it to be.

Just a few examples that come to mind:

A voter circles or underlines the name of Candidate "Y" but does not actually make an "X" or "line" on the ballot...?

Is this a vote for "Y"...?

A voter crosses off the name of one candidate, but again makes no "X" or "line" on the ballot...

Is this a "vote"....?

A voter circles "X" on the ballot but then puts then marks there ballot next to "Y"...

Is this a vote for "X" or "Y" or neither, or both...?

The combinations are endless...

These are not unusual cases by the way, in a ballot box of 1000 votes it is not unusual to have a couple dozen that are "unusual" in some way...

Here is my proposal to end all the fuss...

1) Registration ends 30 days before the election.  To register you must produce 2 pieces of picture ID, OR be swore in by somebody with 2 piecces of ID who will personally and legally vouch for your identity. 

The false swearing in or vouching for a voter gets you 10 years in jail. (ie if you say somebody is indeed "x" and it turns out to be false, you go to jail) - WE enforce this rule with ZERO tollerance.

2) A list of all registered voters is published 21 days before the election.  The list is on the internet, available at government offices, etc.  There is a 24 hour a day 1-800 number where you can also phone in and verify that you are registered.  You have 1 week to clear things (address, clerical errors, etc) up if you are not on the list.

3) Everybody brings 2 pieces of ID to vote, OR are sworn in by somebody with 2 pieces (same punishment if you say you can verify somebody is indeed "X" when they turn out to be "Y"

4) Everybody votes via optical scanner.

5) Before you leave, you scan your ballot with a "test" scanner, which will show you who you have voted for. 

If your ballot does not scan, you get to correct or replace your ballot.  After you have verified that the machine correctly reads your ballot, you give it to the poll worker who places it in the ballot box.

6) If the optical scanner cannot read your ballot after it is deposited, it is a null and void vote.

All that is needed is a desire to fix the system... it's easy...