This upcoming November 4th, 2008, a Tuesday, voters from all across the country will cast their ballots at the polling places for their favorite candidates. Even though we Americans have liked to think we have the best democracy in the world, there will be many problems experienced that day in some areas, such as voter disenfranchisement, poor resources and training of poll workers, and poor management of ballots. However, there are things we all can do to help.
We all know that the present political system in the USA is dominated by only two parties: the Democrats and the Republicans. In this winner-take-all electoral system, the battle between the two party nominees become increasingly heated as General Election Day nears. Big money ad campaigns from independent groups have at times been devastating so close to Nov. 4th. In particular, the Republican Party's activists have misled potential voters in poverty-stricken areas, and both parties' members and non-members alike have vandalized and stolen campaign signs. It is clear that a non-partisan election head official for each state- the Secretary of State- should preside during this time and election day. Let us tell our state representatives we need Secretaries of State not endorsed by any political party.
This year, we all will experience a large increase in voter turnout when compared to previous General Election Days. Polling stations, particularly some in low income regions, experience long lines of voters and sometimes poorly-trained poll workers, due to a lack of necessary resources in money and manpower. There is still time, however, to become a trained poll worker and get paid for your busy day on Nov. 4th- please visit Pollworkers for Democracy for instructions on how you can help.
On recent General Election Days, we have seen mismanagement of filled voter ballots in some states- particularly in 'swing' states where the vote between the two leading candidates was very close. The movement of the ballots to county headquarters had human errors. The conduct of actually counting the ballots lacked training and oversight. You can, however, help by volunteering to count the ballots or be a poll watcher. Election Defense Alliance (ballot-counting) and your local elections office (poll watching) can describe these duties and show how you can participate.
Low-income and poverty-stricken regions have experienced these and more problems and challenges in recent elections. It is all Americans', and especially civic-minded Secretaries of State and political party members' duty to see that fairness in allocation of resources and trained poll workers is experienced in all regions of the country. With the help of poll workers and volunteers this upcoming General Election Day, Tuesday, November 4, 2008, we can enjoy a more productive and pleasant voting experience for low-income citizens and everyone involved.
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