Solutions to election integrity

This a thread for solutions. Not complaints. Please respond to the number below and focus on each item individually. Some things have obvious answers, others not. Again, this isn't for complaining and pointing fingers, just solutions.

The subjects are broken down so that each can be addressed by number and individually. I think everyone should be able to agree that these are appropriate goals.

I don't know if it is comprehensive, but it seems pretty close. I purposely left them as problems needing solutions that I think everyone should agree on. Please try and stay focused on each individually as they are addressed. Some solutions obviously can cover multiple problems.

I will chime in with my own ideas, but don't want to taint the pool right off the bat.

How to accomplish the following:

1. Each person who votes is verified to be eligible to vote (registered, citizen, of age)

2. Each person who votes is verified to be the person they claim to be at the time of voting -- verified in situ

3. Each person who votes is verified to be voting in the right location (county/state)

4. Each person who votes is verified to only vote once per election cycle.

5. Each vote is counted once

6. Each vote can be verified by the voter after the fact (Yes, my vote was for XX candidate)

7. Counting is unable to be manipulated

8. Somebody has enforcement jurisdiction for election issues at the time of issue (eg. They won't let me observe -- police address right then and there)

a reply to: Halfswede

Great ideas . Maybe even start enacting swift stiff penalties for those who cheat

a reply to: Halfswede

I haven't even read your whole post, but I'm already S&Fing your thread... simply because you want solutions! And that's awesome. That's what we need!!!

Thanks for being that person.


Now I'll finish reading and respond on topic.

a reply to: Halfswede

I've been assured by some very legit sources and internet people that there was no problemo with the recent USA Presidential Election. A normal deviation here, a software glitch there. It was all hunky dory, I assure you!

Not sure why you made a list of solutions when there aren't any problems.

a reply to: Halfswede

I think once we all agree on the rules, and why they are important, we can put strict penalties on infractions, and make sure everyone has a chance to vote. if they don't voice concerns, no excuses. If concerns are voiced, put the fix in for a vote and see what the people think.

The problem is that the cheaters want the "solutions" to enable the cheating. No ID's required, don't clean up dead people from voter roles, send out tens of millions of unsolicited blank ballots with no chain of custody or tracking, allow non-citizens to vote and the list goes on. What could possibly go wrong?

Here's my initial cut.

1. Each person who votes is verified to be eligible to vote (registered, citizen, of age)

FREE, FREE, FREE at not cost to you Voter ID card with chip, photo, pin, DOB, and thumbprint

2. Each person who votes is verified to be the person they claim to be at the time of voting -- verified in situ

Voter ID card is entered in the presence of voter personnel and pin entered before vote is activated. A clear picture is taken at the time and logged with the ID#.

See number 4 below. A thumbprint is applied to the ballot and scanned (nobody is verifying thumbprint at this point) If any funny business happens (ID and pin stolen), the pic and thumbprint can be used. See # 6 below.

For absentee, you request the volunteer come to your location with the portable verification machine. The ballot is filled, encoded with Serial number (see #5), put in an envelope, and tracking scanned into an approved container.

For military, bases have the same system. You go, get verified, create ballot.

3. Each person who votes is verified to be voting in the right location (county/state)

Chipped card is verified to location. Must match county and state to continue voting.

4. Each person who votes is verified to only vote once per election cycle.

Early voting is only allowed for one week -- plenty of time, and too much can change in weeks/months like some states have . A federal holiday is created guaranteeing time off to vote any one of those days. Whether you vote either in person or absentee, you thumbprint the ballot with dark ink that lasts 2 weeks.

5. Each vote is counted once

Each ballot is imprinted with a non-secretive codified serial number upon voter verification. Something that includes their voter ID number and a timestamp. Every vote can be traced back to the voter even after the fact.

6. Each vote can be verified by the voter after the fact (Yes, my vote was for XX candidate)

Voter can log in from home and verify using card and pin. See # 5 above. Picture and thumbprint can be tied to voting instance if there is discrepancy.

7. Counting is unable to be manipulated

This is tricky. Nothing is 100% as some people can just cheat on an individual basis. Say they steal an ID and pin etc. However, there should be NO primary counting done with algorithms. It's all hand counted and entered.

Counting machines if used need to be mechanical only. Punch card and machining is plenty good today to avoid hanging chads. Finally, software driven scanned counting is done only to preserve digital copies of all related ballot material and provide a sanity check on the hand counting. Errors greater than 1 in 250 are re-hand counted.

My personal feeling is you have a verification system tied to the internet. That system will allow you to execute a ballot on a system that is not tied to the internet. Counting is done by hand or mechanical, no software.

Oh yeah, if you don't like voter ID, please please please come up with solutions that meet the numbered requirements for voting integrity, or explain why those requirements themselves are unnecessary (i.e. you shouldn't need to make sure a person only votes once because ...)

a reply to: Halfswede

After reading your title I thought for sure this would involve detonating all or most of the worlds nukes on America.

Your solution seems doable in a society where the average person still cares enough. It seems many people are more concerned with vain distractions. And hurt feelings.

The biggest problem I see with your solution in todays p.c. culture is that it is racist by modern standards. Counting? You white supremacist monster!!! How dare you!

Laz's solution: do away with voting entirely.

How are petit and grand juries filled? By a random selection of voters. How to fill political positions? A random selection from qualified American citizens...for ONE TERM. No druggies, welfare recipients, felons and the like. It would eliminate the problems associated with political parties, entrenched power structures, and no one would be in office long enough to become particularly corrupt. It would also put a nice cross-section of citizens in office - no more preponderance of lawyers and minions of the rich.

Randomocracy is our future!

So, you’re eliminating mail in voting?

Only those who can physically get to their voting place can vote?

We should also make it so the federal government doesn’t interfere in audits.

If you can’t figure out how to get a ride to the polls then you shouldn’t be voting.

a reply to: Halfswede

and thumbprint

Yeah, no thanks on that one.

You should be looking for a solution to representatives.
....since none of them represent us any more.
Instant sharing of cat pics, but we have fake representation of actual decisions that effect us.
All the way up in a rigged system.
Arguing over elections is pointless when the whole system is a joke.

a reply to: Annee

Quit looking for problems and look for solutions . Mail in voting is a great strategy for cheating . We just need to figure out ways to weed out any way of cheating. Unfortunately for you . Do you have any ideas how to make voting less of a joke ? No you don’t unfortunately .

originally posted by: Annee
So, you’re eliminating mail in voting?

Only those who can physically get to their voting place can vote?

I hate to point out what would be obvious to someone who read them, but try reading anyway... number 2 specifically addresses absentee and military. But in general, mail in needs to be be for those who literally can't make it, not just laziness.

Also feel free and propose an alternative that meets those requirements for mail in for everyone or explain why the requirement isn't necessary. If it can't be secure,...

You know those ideas sound like they imply there was fairness in modern politics to begin with. I mean, were dealing with a two party system that lies in the biggest corrupt, corporate California king sized cluster----.

If we wanted change to really happen, were going to have to do it ourselves. Not in the activist way, either. The Constitution gave us the rules, they anticipated that our country's power would snowball, and at the end of the day, most of us still expect someone else to fix it.

If we wait too long, we will leave our children with the same question that our parents, and their parents failed to answer.

Truth be told, I did not vote. I have refused to participate in a two party system and will continue to do so until we have a real government. One that hasn't been compromised by foreign intervention and corporate interest.

Our representatives were put there for a reason, and if they don't do their job, it is YOUR duty to remove them. The only protection these people have is the status quo they've been floating on.

One of these days, the backbone of this country will have to do more than state their opinion on social media. The machine can be brought to heel, as our greatest strength is that we have eachother. They would not have to work so hard at dividing us if we weren't a real threat.

originally posted by: Mandroid7
a reply to: Halfswede

and thumbprint

Yeah, no thanks on that one.

Have you not seen the places where they walk around proudly with a giant purple thumb indicating they voted? It's not to ID the person so much as prove they already voted.

a reply to: Metallicus

If someone has a legit reason to not be able to make it there have always been ways to handle that. They do involve showing ID usually though. I have voted absentee quite a few times and it was very easy to do.