That voters in Texas’ largest county were forced to wait several hours to cast ballots on Tuesday was rightfully derided as unacceptable — and even as an example of voter suppression, given that some of longest lines were in minority neighborhoods.
These aren’t missteps, they are fuck-ups by the people at the top of the election-management organization chart.
Gee, I was only trying to help my mom pay her bills when I robbed that bank.
Honestly, after seeing the words “Sloppy Execution” and “Texas” in a headline, I was actually relieved to find that it was just a good old-fashioned election system IT fuckup.
Voters will be in the spotlight from now til November. And what will also be in the spotlight is the determination of the Republican Party to limit voter participation as much as possible to those voters who will vote for Republicans.
There are dozens of ways to say this and hundreds of ways to execute this.
“People are really losing trust in the electoral process,” he said.
Guess which party that benefits.
So after this screw up, what will be the excuse come November?
Problems in Modern Democracy, Vol. IV:
If we just allow Gat Fatsby to pick the winners, that would solve the problems.
Solved.
You’re welcome.
From Supreme Court Invalidates Key Part of Voting Rights Act by Adam Liptak in the New York Times on June 25, 2013:
The decision will have immediate practical consequences. Texas announced shortly after the decision that a voter identification law that had been blocked would go into effect immediately, and that redistricting maps there would no longer need federal approval. Changes in voting procedures in the places that had been covered by the law, including ones concerning restrictions on early voting, will now be subject only to after-the-fact litigation.
A lawyer involved with suing Texas over voting centers explained in an interview on Minnesota Public Radio yesterday that voter centers were convenient only for regular voters and created barriers for new, impoverished, and/or minority voters.
Of course the Republicans refused to share machines.
Don’t want dirty illegal immigrants touching the same surfaces that their nice white hands do.
Sharing is socialism.
The stars at night,
are big and bright,
Deep in the heart of Texas!
The voter suppression cartel,
is racist as hell,
Deep in the heart of Texas.…
This was bad, but at least we are getting new voting machines — next year. But that’s better than with the old Republican county clerk, who was perfectly happy with the ancient machines that provide zero paper trail or any practical way to audit results.
I really think the biggest problem was with having separate Dem and R dedicated machines — which the Rs insisted on — when they knew Dem turnout was going to be much greater than Rs. Also, we vote on judges, so there are literally 50+ races to vote on and it takes forever.
I guess it’s a good thing that Dems are now the majority in Harris County…
Hey new system, new administrator, way more people than they expected, and the need for more centers just became obvious.
And let’s not forget that the administrator had to treat the parties the same, and if one party refuses to play nice then the system and voters get screwed.
Damn that kindergarten lesson plan!
If the machines used in Harris county were the same we used to use in Denton County, I am surprised that the Dems wouldnt want seperate machines. You would be lucky to vote for the correct candidate, let alone get the correct Dem, or Rep. Ballot.
Same here.
Texas is the laboratory Repugs use to first starve government and public institutions of resources (by worshipping at the Church of Low Taxes) and then using the resulting debacle as “proof” that government is Bad.
Well, Texas ain’t Oklahoma.
I was a poll worker for many years and my advice to people, bring a chair to sit on just in case. We had many people pass out because they couldn’t stand for an hour or more. By now people have an idea of what the lines will be like in their precinct so go prepared. Stadium chairs are lightweight and practical. Bring something to drink & read. November is going to be a bitch.
