Unifornm Poll closings

[zorkpolitics]

One of the recurring concerns with Presidential elections is that the Networks call Eastern states before many voters on the West Coast have voted and this may decrease participation in the election.  Because of the frist amendment, one cannot forbid the Networks from reporting results.  However, they have agreed to wait until polls close in a state before *calling it*(except part of FL in 2000).
Do you agree that setting 2 closing times in the continental 48 would be better?
Say 9:00 Easter (8:00 central)  and  9:00 Moutain (8:00 Pacific)?

[12th Doctor]

That does sound like I good idea.  I'll have to chew on that one for a bit to see if anything about leaves a bad taste in my mouth, though.

[Nym90]

Yeah, it seems like a good idea. The states would probably argue under federalism that they should be allowed to have their own closing times though. Some, such as Kentucky and Indiana, have absurdly early closing times of 6 PM!
Also, what about Alaska and Hawaii? Would they be allowed to set their own times? Or would they be forced to close earlier at the same time as the west coast? Hawaii actually already does close at 11 Eastern, and Alaska at 12:00, so I guess it wouldn't be that bad, just force Alaska to close an hour earlier.

[CHRISTOPHER MICHAE]

Yeah, it seems like a good idea. The states would probably argue under federalism that they should be allowed to have their own closing times though. Some, such as Kentucky and Indiana, have absurdly early closing times of 6 PM!
Also, what about Alaska and Hawaii? Would they be allowed to set their own times? Or would they be forced to close earlier at the same time as the west coast? Hawaii actually already does close at 11 Eastern, and Alaska at 12:00, so I guess it wouldn't be that bad, just force Alaska to close an hour earlier.

The voting precincts do not have to report anything to the media if they keep the numbers to themselves until they have a 51% vote count. What frustrates this voter is that the t.v. media giants, like CNN and others, declare victory for a candidate when only 36% of the votes are tallied. That's wrong! Sure, there's Freedom of the Press, but then, there's also the Rights of the voters who want to get shafted as to the true outcome of election results.

[WONK]

I understand it's unconstitutional to prevent networks from reporting results, but would it be unconstitutional to prevent them from reporting results until all continental states are done voting?  I don't think requiring them to wait 3 hours is unconstiutional.  Is it?

[zorkpolitics]

Its unconstitutional to put any restrictions on reporting results.  
Currently the media voluntarily waits until polls close in a state before projecting a winner.
HI and AK could close together, one hr after the Pacific coast: 9:00 Alaska time and 8:00 Hawaii / Aleutian time.
Although we have a federal system which has allowed each state to set its own poling ours the Constituion says Congress may alter the time, place, and manner by which states hold elections.  So congress coudl set uniform polling times.

[NorthernDog]

I don't like the idea because :
1. I don't want Congress telling the states how to operate their own elections
2. The media could simply exercise some self-control (LOL!)
3. It's difficult to get sufficient numbers of poll workers as it is.  Imagine telling people in Maine they have to keep the polls open until 11PM.  Don't they roll up the sidewalks at 7:30PM?

[jravnsbo]

Well hard to keep the leaks from happening is my first thought.

Second if the natinal Presidential election ever comes down to HI and AK we are all screwed, lol--well i thought so before 2000, the 38 day night.

Yeah not sure but yeah KY and IN close early and are always first and benefit GOP as they usually have 2 states ont he board for an hour.  I remember when Bush 41 was on IN called so rearly and some thought it would matter, well it didn't.

[Gustaf]

I never previously heard about this as such a problem. In Sweden all exit polls are traditionally presented one minute after the voting ends. We don't have constituencies though so the whole thing is different. But I agree with CM that the easiest thing would be withholding the information from the media untill the voting is done. Or what that also be unconstitutional? What about the UK do they have the same problem?

[© tweed]

I never previously heard about this as such a problem. In Sweden all exit polls are traditionally presented one minute after the voting ends. We don't have constituencies though so the whole thing is different. But I agree with CM that the easiest thing would be withholding the information from the media untill the voting is done. Or what that also be unconstitutional? What about the UK do they have the same problem?

I don't think Sweden has as many time zones.

[Gustaf]

I never previously heard about this as such a problem. In Sweden all exit polls are traditionally presented one minute after the voting ends. We don't have constituencies though so the whole thing is different. But I agree with CM that the easiest thing would be withholding the information from the media untill the voting is done. Or what that also be unconstitutional? What about the UK do they have the same problem?

I don't think Sweden has as many time zones.

Ahem, no...hang on while I go collect my brain will you.

[© tweed]

What I was saying was sweden doens't have as many time zones as the united States.  Or at tleast I don't think so.

[Gustaf]

What I was saying was sweden doens't have as many time zones as the united States.  Or at tleast I don't think so.

Yes I got that, and I just felt a little thick for not seeing that right away. No, Sweden has one time zone (I think we are actually evenly split between two, but we have chosen one for the sake of convenience). But there are two different issues here, one about time zones and one about when results can be published in the media in relation to when they are counted.

[© tweed]

What I was saying was sweden doens't have as many time zones as the united States.  Or at tleast I don't think so.

Yes I got that, and I just felt a little thick for not seeing that right away. No, Sweden has one time zone (I think we are actually evenly split between two, but we have chosen one for the sake of convenience). But there are two different issues here, one about time zones and one about when results can be published in the media in relation to when they are counted.

Okay.  But uniform poll closings are the only way to fix that problem, or at least would go a long way towards fixing it.

[jravnsbo]

Well more thoughts...

I like having my map and following it come in with results.  So kind of like watchign a big game.

I do think that no state should be called until all the polls are closed ( ie Florida 2000).

But yes then the west coast may be effected.  I remember people voting for Carter as they felt sorry for him getting beat so badly though

[minionofmidas]

There is one simple solution nobody seems to be thinking of, even though it's what other states with more than one time zone do: Close the polling stations whenever you like but just don't start counting yet as long as polling stations anywhere else are still open!

[Gustaf]

There is one simple solution nobody seems to be thinking of, even though it's what other states with more than one time zone do: Close the polling stations whenever you like but just don't start counting yet as long as polling stations anywhere else are still open!

Ehhhh...let's not over-simplify this!

[Platypus]

How about:

1) Uniform ballots. It is just stupid to have 50 different voting systems. Have one system (that doesn't use chads...) and many problems wuld be solved.

2) Uniform, or close to, opening and closing times. I like the proposal in the first post

3) A uniform body to run elections natonwide, and that is completely independent of politics. This organizatrion would run elections, inc. set-up and the count, as well as create boundaries for CDs. This would (hopefully) stop gerrymandering, too),

I think this is similar to the British system, and if it is, kudos to GB for running free and fair elections nationwide.

[minionofmidas]

It's similar to every single place you can find outside the US that has elections. Even those places that don't hold fair and free elections observe these rules. (Er- I meant about the uniform ballots and poll closing times. The independence of election commissions may be compromised in many places...)

[hoshie]

3) A uniform body to run elections natonwide, and that is completely independent of politics. This organizatrion would run elections, inc. set-up and the count, as well as create boundaries for CDs. This would (hopefully) stop gerrymandering, too),

I think this is similar to the British system, and if it is, kudos to GB for running free and fair elections nationwide.

I think you are thinking about the British Electoral Commission: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/

[Platypus]

3) A uniform body to run elections natonwide, and that is completely independent of politics. This organizatrion would run elections, inc. set-up and the count, as well as create boundaries for CDs. This would (hopefully) stop gerrymandering, too),

I think this is similar to the British system, and if it is, kudos to GB for running free and fair elections nationwide.

I think you are thinking about the British Electoral Commission: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/

I was actually thinking of the Australian Electoral Comission, but that post is from what I like to refer to as the 'Davenport Days'.