Showing posts tagged voting

(translated) On Wednesday, December 21, Muscovites had a flashmob in the subway for an honest election. Participants of the rally went for an hour on the subway with mouths taped with white tape, “They stole our votes,” “Give me back my voice,” “More silence is impossible.”

(Reblogged from fuckyeahprotest)

Republicans in New Hampshire want to disenfranchise college students

jonathan-cunningham:

New Hampshire’s new Republican state House speaker is pretty clear about what he thinks of college kids and how they vote. They’re “foolish,” Speaker William O’Brien said in a recent speech to a tea party group.

“Voting as a liberal. That’s what kids do,” he added, his comments taped by a state Democratic Party staffer and posted on YouTube. Students lack “life experience,” and “they just vote their feelings.”

New Hampshire House Republicans are pushing for new laws that would prohibit many college students from voting in the state - and effectively keep some from voting at all.

One bill would permit students to vote in their college towns only if they or their parents had previously established permanent residency there - requiring all others to vote in the states or other New Hampshire towns they come from. Another bill would end Election Day registration, which O’Brien said unleashes swarms of students on polling places, creating opportunities for fraud.

Denying citizens the right to vote because you disagree with them is despicable and moronic.  Not only does a democratic system become subverted when you deny students (many of whose sole occupation is to learn), but it removes a vital resource from the pool of ideas democracy draws from and weakens the system as a whole- not that politicians care about morality or efficacy of government, so long as they stay rich and in office.

(Reblogged from jonathan-cunningham)
azspot: Chart Of The Day Who voted in the election in 2008 vs. 2010. There was a dip in the under 65 this year, but the over 65 group nearly doubled when compared to 2008. This falls in line with other data that’s been collected on who voted yesterday — including the fact that a significant portion of those voting Republican were older caucasians.

azspot:

Chart Of The Day

Who voted in the election in 2008 vs. 2010. There was a dip in the under 65 this year, but the over 65 group nearly doubled when compared to 2008.

This falls in line with other data that’s been collected on who voted yesterday — including the fact that a significant portion of those voting Republican were older caucasians.

(Reblogged from azspot)
“
If you don’t vote because you’re trying to teach politicians a lesson, you’re tragically misguided in your strategy. The very politicians you’re trying to send a message to don’t want you to vote. Since 1960, voting turnouts in mid-term elections are down significantly, and there’s one reason: because of TV advertising. Political TV advertising is designed to do only one thing: suppress the turnout of the opponent’s supporters. If the TV ads can turn you off enough not to vote (“they’re all bums”) then their strategy has succeeded.

Seth Godin (via azspot)

I don’t think my mom voted today, because she’s so disgusted with the campaigns on both sides (can’t blame her, really). We’ve had this discussion a few times in the past few weeks. I tried explaining to her that it doesn’t send a message if she doesn’t vote, not in a republic/democracy, and regardless of her intent, the outcome is the same as if she was simply too apathetic to do so. ::sigh::

(via lostgrrrls)

I’ve had similar conversations — both in the past, and even today. It’s incredibly frustrating. Not voting is still a vote. Except instead of picking a side, you’re voting to give up your opinion on the matter. Does one vote matter? Not often on its own. But 100 matter. 1,000 matter. 10,000 matter.

And for those who are going to disparage any effort of participation — yes, the system is fucking corrupt with corporate interests and propaganda. But I’d rather make my voice heard and fight for reforms and equality and justice.

I want to go down swinging — not sitting back and moping.

(Reblogged from lostgrrrls)

Widespread Reports of Problems at Polls

mohandasgandhi:

WASHINGTON — Voters in some states encountered isolated problems with electronic voting machines and delays in the opening of polling stations, but they also reported many instances of voter intimidation and misinformation.

Officials from the Election Protection Coalition, an association of voting rights groups that operated a national hot line for voting-related complaints, said that by early Tuesday evening their hot line had received more than 15,000 calls, with the most coming from California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Georgia.

Although most were general inquiries, nearly 2,100 involved reports of problems like polls opening late, machine malfunctions and confusion over voter registrations. More than 200 calls involved claims of voter intimidation.

“One of the most worrisome things we’re seeing is an uptick in voter intimidation and misinformation compared to prior elections,” said Wendy Weiser, director of the voting rights and elections project at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University.

(read more)

Where do you think these problems came from?  Any guesses?

(Reblogged from mohandasgandhi)

Some good news… looks like Chris Coons beat Christine O’Donnell (though she got the most news coverage of any candidate this election).

abbyjean: via www.crmvet.org View high resolution

abbyjean:

via www.crmvet.org

(Reblogged from abbyjean)
crookedindifference: Vote today. Don’t lose your voice. View high resolution

crookedindifference:

Vote today. Don’t lose your voice.

(Reblogged from crookedindifference)
azspot: Jeff Danziger View high resolution

azspot:

Jeff Danziger

(Reblogged from azspot)