Large Scale Central

Simplicity and Complexity

General Discussion
#1

Postal ballot for the US presidential race came in the mail a couple of days ago.

Used a pencil to fill in the little oval next to the name of preferred candidate, then placed ballot in envelopes provided, bought the appropriate Australian stamp and posted it off.

Simple!

Last time I voted in the US, I was first man into the polling booth at 6:00 AM. Went to pull the lever for my candidate of choice and the lever didn’t budge! Thought maybe I’d forgotten brown sugar on the oatmeal, so tried again - and again - no joy. Feeling like a complete idiot, I sheepishly asked for help.

Turns out there was a lock on the side of the machine that could be set to release some or all of the voting levers. The lever for my candidate of choice was still locked! Several profuse apologies later, lever unlocked, vote cast and I was on my way to work.

Complex!

#2

All our voting comes in the mail to us.
There aren’t any voting places in our county.
I dunno if it’s just our county or state wide.

#3
Dave Healy said:
Postal ballot for the US presidential race came in the mail a couple of days ago.

Used a pencil to fill in the little oval next to the name of preferred candidate, then placed ballot in envelopes provided, bought the appropriate Australian stamp and posted it off.

Simple!

Last time I voted in the US, I was first man into the polling booth at 6:00 AM. Went to pull the lever for my candidate of choice and the lever didn’t budge! Thought maybe I’d forgotten brown sugar on the oatmeal, so tried again - and again - no joy. Feeling like a complete idiot, I sheepishly asked for help.

Turns out there was a lock on the side of the machine that could be set to release some or all of the voting levers. The lever for my candidate of choice was still locked! Several profuse apologies later, lever unlocked, vote cast and I was on my way to work.

Complex!


Dave,
Nothing personal, but how long have you been living in Australia and why do you still vote in the US Presidential election?
From your previous posts I assume you have been living “down under” for quite a long time.
Why are people who choose to live abroad voting for the US President?
I can’t move to South Carolina and vote for the Governor of North Carolina. I can’t vote for the Australian Prime Minister.
I’m sorry. But it bothers me that there are many people just like you who choose to live out of the country and are voting for our President.
I’m here doing the “time” and suffering the consequences.
Ralph

#4

For what it’s worth I did a little project with the Smithsonian, part of a series called “Object of history,” in which one of the “objects” is a voting machine. You can see what the curator in charge has to say about the history of voting. It starts with a little intro movie I made

http://objectofhistory.org/objects/intro/votingmachine/

#5
Dave Healy said:
Postal ballot for the US presidential race came in the mail a couple of days ago.

Used a pencil to fill in the little oval next to the name of preferred candidate, then placed ballot in envelopes provided, bought the appropriate Australian stamp and posted it off.

Simple!

Last time I voted in the US, I was first man into the polling booth at 6:00 AM. Went to pull the lever for my candidate of choice and the lever didn’t budge! Thought maybe I’d forgotten brown sugar on the oatmeal, so tried again - and again - no joy. Feeling like a complete idiot, I sheepishly asked for help.

Turns out there was a lock on the side of the machine that could be set to release some or all of the voting levers. The lever for my candidate of choice was still locked! Several profuse apologies later, lever unlocked, vote cast and I was on my way to work.

Complex!


I voted for President (and others) while in Okinawa, Japan, and while in the Persian Gulf. If you are a US Citizen, you have the right to vote, no matter where circumstances find you.

While in Junior High School, they had us use the voting machines to vote for class officers so we could learn how the voting machines worked. The machines so screwed up the election that they had to be re-done the next day on paper ballots, hurriedly prepared. I learned a big lesson that day. :stuck_out_tongue:

#6

I could move to Oz or GB right now, and still collect my US pensions as in Soc Sec, etc.
And still vote in the Prez election.
For the rest of my life…

It’s no big deal, Ralph…

#7

He’s over the age of 18 and a citizen of the US…he has the right to vote.

#8

My wife is a joint US and Oz citizen, has lived here in Sth Oz for 34 years and still votes. Both of our kids are US citizens (because born to a US citizen overseas), neither having ever lived in the US and they both vote.

#9

I know it happens all the time. I just don’t like it.
I don’t harbor any ill will to those that live overseas permanently and vote in our election here. They have the right. I just don’t agree that they should have the right.
Ralph

#10
Ralph Berg said:
I know it happens all the time. I just don't like it. I don't harbor any ill will to those that live overseas permanently and vote in our election here. They have the right. I just don't agree that they should have the right. Ralph
I don't think people who don't take their vote seriously enough to actually look into what the candidate stands for (not what his 10 second sound bite or 30 second commercial says he stands for) and his voting record, or pick a candidate based upon superficial reasons (like race, gender, or whether they are "pretty people") should be allowed to vote either (and there are a TON more of those than ex-pats)... but that idea would be kind of hard to quantify and enforce.

Last presidential election there were billboards around here with some really goofy looking person wearing outlandish clothes and a slogan to the effect “His vote is worth as much as yours - register now!”… Not sure if was coincidence, funny or sad, but a couple of them looked an AWFUL lot like the “Goth” and “Punk” college kids who lived down the block.

#11

I’m familiar with many who’ve lived in Mexico most of their lives have dual citizenship and vote in US elections. Whether it’s right or not, don’t know, if you are a citizen you can vote, just the way it is…

Ralph Berg said:
I know it happens all the time. I just don't like it. I don't harbor any ill will to those that live overseas permanently and vote in our election here. They have the right. I just don't agree that they should have the right. Ralph
#12

Mike, thanks for the video link. Got a chuckle out of the “BIG pencil” frame!

Ralph, I didn’t vote in US elections for about 25 years after moving to Oz. However, over the past 10 - 15 years I’ve spent about equal time in Australia and the USA. I’ve also paid about equal taxes in the US and Oz over that time. I say to you what I’ve said to several other Americans who’ve expressed reservations about the right of US citizens residing abroad to vote - let’s agree to disagree.

Ken, thanks for reminding me I’m over 18. I just wish I was a bit closer to 18!!!

Mik, I think the Founding Fathers would have agreed with your assessment. The Electoral College and the original formula for election of US Senators does, I think, back you up.

John, I wish I was eligible for Social Security, especially with the way the Aussie dollar is going against the greenback. However, unless the law changes, that won’t happen. Not to worry - may my US Social Security tax dollars go towards subsidising the retirement of every old codger who loves trains!!!

#13
Dave Healy said:
Ralph, I didn't vote in US elections for about 25 years after moving to Oz. However, over the past 10 - 15 years I've spent about equal time in Australia and the USA. I've also paid about equal taxes in the US and Oz over that time. I say to you what I've said to several other Americans who've expressed reservations about the right of US citizens residing abroad to vote - let's agree to disagree.
Dave, Your circumstances put things in a different perspective for me. I can see that it would be a mess determining which overseas residents would be eligible to vote if there were additional conditions imposed. Better that all overseas citizens are allowed to vote so a citizen is not incorrectly denied the right to vote. Ralph