General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCould there be (provisional) paper ballots on the east coast?
If the power remains out next Tuesday, would the states affected by Sandy be able to switch to paper ballots to make sure the people can vote? It doesn't take much to print up several thousand paper ballots, even with many candidates and issues in the states. So it seems to me that maybe there is an outside chance that it could happen. Of course, I realize the power crews will be working around the clock to get power back on and that polling places may take priority. But one never knows how these things will go. Many complications can occur while rehooking power lines.
valerief
(53,235 posts)frazzled
(18,402 posts)Do you know how many people live in the Metropolitan New York City area alone? 18.9 million.
Bluzmann57
(12,336 posts)How about several million?
frazzled
(18,402 posts)Since 2010, I think they have paper ballots, with fill-in-the-circle choices, which are then put into an optical scan reader.
People could vote, but they'd have to be "read" and counted somewhere where there is electricity. Of course, there has to be electricity for light in the polling places. Can't fill in circles in the dark, in a church basement.
brooklynite
(94,737 posts)Most ballots are printed, and voting policy is set by County Boards of Election, which more often than not are bipartisan. Also, remember Republicans want their State and Congressional officials elected, even if the Presidential votes will be going to Obama
Junkdrawer
(27,993 posts)Think of the precedent if it were shown that elections could be held without computers. We fought Viet Nam to prevent precedents.
treestar
(82,383 posts)It's odd people think there isn't.