Age of Reason

How to Steal an Election

Graph of the number of voting machines per registered voter as a function of how the precinct voted, from The Free Press.



Step 1: Have Republicans oversee the election
...
Step 14: Have your election officials skimp on voting machines in precincts where you opponent is strong. This will create long lines.

The Free Press also has this article on the Ohio citizens' groups that are preparing to challenge the Ohio presidential election on the grounds that it wasn't conducted fairly, e.g. because Kerry-supporting polling places were supplied with too few machines.

What's odd about this is that there's not any question that in a true democracy, these sorts of infractions would be taken in the most serious possible way -- and at the same time, there's very little question by anyone of the likelihood that it won't be. None of us, not even I -- not you, not the right-wing press, not the far-right press, not even the left-wing press, takes seriously the idea that fair election of voting machines is mandatory, and that serious consequences must befall anyone who interfers with that. And yet, it is mandatory, and there must be consequences.

Of course, we all eventually meet our maker, and it's not going to be a fun meeting for Kenneth Blackwell.

posted by conchis @ 6:08 PM