Whats happens if...

So I have a question; (please explain to me like I'm 5, pictures drawn with crayons would probably work best)

What happens if no one shows up to vote? Is there a minimum number of votes that has to be cast in order for the "vote" to count?
For example: there are roughly 300mil people in America, what if only say 300k show up and vote?

What happens?
Will there be another vote, does it just happen anyways just with lower numbers?

I know that you aren't required to vote, and I know accidents happen and votes get "lost" all the time.

Also ( and not to start an argument please ) what happens if it is proven that one of the candidates rigged the election?
Jail time? Slap on the wrist? Dropped in a pit of spiders wearing clown masks?

a reply to: Squirlli

As far as I know, there is no minimum amount of people who have to vote, for it to count. There's no chance of "no one showing up". There are still far too many who keep falling for the empty promises.

Also ( and not to start an argument please ) what happens if it is proven that one of the candidates rigged the election? Jail time? Slap on the wrist? Dropped in a pit of spiders wearing clown masks?

If your last name is Clinton, the FBI, DOJ, the MSM and the White House all get together to defend you.

a reply to: Squirlli

If you could be a little more specific, I'll try walk you thru the process.
In most cases, the state will be the lead prosecuting authority, although the Fed can also step in under Federal Election Laws and file charges as well.

Buck

For example: there are roughly 300mil people in America, what if only say 300k show up and vote?

The problem now is there is 300M U.S. citizens and 600M votes being cast, Hehe.

a reply to: Squirlli

The votes of the states will still be cast and will determine the election. That thing called the electoral college.


Each state has a determined amount of cast votes that are determined by the population of that state. Those votes are supposed to be cast to reflect how the citizens of that state has determined through their vote. Generally all votes are cast with the majority winner of that state, but a state could split them if they wanted to reflect the actual casting.


The public only votes to tell the state how to cast their votes.

Not sure how it works in the States, but presume it's just a low turnout. If that happened though, it would send a clear message to the politicians that something is very, very wrong; and it would be ignored!

a reply to: paraphi

They have ignored it thus far. Why would that change?


Politicians only care about winning or losing and the thing that determines that is votes. Those that do not vote do not enter into their eyes.


A clear message that would make them pay attention would be voting for a small party such as third party. It shows that there are people that do vote and neither and they didn't sway them.

a reply to: Squirlli

There are already millions of votes cast. They count those. 🎠 for the five year old. lol
I couldn't find crayons in the emoji cache. Sorry.

Votes don't "get lost" all the time. That's trump talk.
The votes don't get stolen nor is the election rigged.

a reply to: Sillyolme

I am going to have to politely disagree with you about votes getting lost.

if there are already millions of votes cast, then there is a million chances that at the very least one of them is lost, or stolen, etc. I don't know if you've heard of it, it's called the law of probability.

On a much tinier scale if you have 10 rocks in a bag and and 3 are red and 4 are blue and 7 are white, there is a higher probability that a white rock will be picked; if you are picking just 1 time from the bag, there is a higher chance that the white rock will be picked, since there are more, but there is still a chance that red or blue will be picked.

(if i had confidence in my math skills I would use numbers)

So the notion that votes don't get lost or stolen is completely asinine, especially when you add in human error and even emotions. Humans have shown numerous times over many many years that greed is a very motivating factor in our individual lives, so again saying the/an election isn't rigged, is again foolish.

Never say never, because at some point you will be wrong.
That is why I said what happens if.

I thank you for your input though and the pony!

a reply to: DAVID64

This is what I figured, but I wasn't 100% positive.

I am one of those that doesn't like ANY of the candidates, I think Trump is an idiot, Clinton is the scum of the earth, Johnson is completely nuts, and Stein, well I just can't get behind some of her...views, like the vaccines causing autism. I will admit I like her best and that is who I am voting for but in all honesty this election has really fruited my loops.

a reply to: Grimpachi

ok, so lets saaaay Candidate A wins the popular vote by a HUGE amount, but Candidate B wins the electoral vote.
isn't something wrong there? Wouldn't that mean that delegates are voting against the wishes of the people?

I don't think there is a law saying that they can't do that, but I'm sure it's a moral thing (which I feel a lack of morals is required to be a politician), but morals are not law.
I guess if your state delegate doesn't vote the way the people want them to, then they won't get reelected, so the threat of losing your job might be enough to make you do the right thing.

Honestly I don't know, I really don't know what the checks and balances are for voting.

a reply to: Squirlli

If no one showed up to vote, nothing would change.

Voting tells your states Electoral College members which way you want to vote. They almost always follow the will of the people, but faithless electors are a thing. The public vote isn't binding (for President). If no one showed up, the EC wouldn't have been told the people prefer one over the other, and they would vote according to their own beliefs, which would likely break down along party lines.

If the EC didn't show up to vote, it would go to the House who would then decide. Again, this would break down on party lines, but in the House this time and they would pick.

If the House also abstained from voting it would go to the Supreme Court.

In the Supreme Court, it's voted on.

If you go through all of that, and still no one cared to vote... could you honestly say we're a democracy anymore?

originally posted by: Squirlli
I am going to have to politely disagree with you about votes getting lost.

Provisional, mail in, and early voting ballots don't get counted in the first place, so they can't be lost. They're only counted if on election day the the final total in votes is less than the number of extra ballots that haven't been counted. At which point they're counted until the gap is again large enough that the result can't be changed.

no one showing up to vote would be impossible, Hillary will show up and vote for herself and trump will vote for himself.

originally posted by: Tardacus
no one showing up to vote would be impossible, Hillary will show up and vote for herself and trump will vote for himself.

What if they're both convicted of felonies?