Comments on: Networks May Call Race by 8 Eastern

By: just me

just me — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:54:44 +0000

I am not real keen on the idea of voting by mail. As much as the convienience might appeal, I just think there is too much potential for fraud-I don't know for sure if somebody may have stolen my ballot and once I drop my ballot in the mail, how do I know it got to the right place?

Not to mention I kind of like going to the polls to make it official, but then I live in a city where voting is quick and easy.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 21:39:36 +0000

And, to echo something James noted, I really wish we would go to weekend voting.

Why not just make the first Tuesday in November a national holiday? More people work on Saturday than on Thanksgiving.

By: Floyd

Floyd — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:39:21 +0000

Brett;
Why would that not open the door to absolute vote fraud?
Traditionally, electioneering at a polling place has been illegal. Now you advocate moving the polling place directly to the rally, where you can sell your franchise for a T-shirt.
I guess you might think this is ok? Perhaps it is a fitting end to Mankind's last great hope.
What are the safeguards in place to prevent outright fraud, extortion,intimidation, bribery or theft?

By: David

David — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:36:40 +0000

What I love is that they are setting themselves up for another 2000 election - they called Florida while the polls were still open - leaving open forever the issue of whether or not either a)more Bush votes would have been cast and thus no recount agony for over a month or b) enough Gore votes would have been cast to give him the election when the recount happened

By: Bob Vaught

Bob Vaught — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:29:32 +0000

I missed it. Tell us again, CBS (and Mr. Joyner), the specific benefit of announcing the supposed "outcome" while 80% of the country is still voting? Media idiots. And they don't understand why they're held in such low esteem by the American public? Gotta wonder where most of these clowns got their diplomas, or whether they ever took a course in ethics. Guarantee you they'd never, ever cut it in a field like science, engineering, or medicine where you're actually required to think logically and be objective.

By: Mike Green

Mike Green — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:22:23 +0000

Journalistic duty to report the facts? When was the last time the journalists felt a duty to report the facts? I think I am going to puke! I so disrespect the field of journalism any more. I think the media should be barred from reporting ANY results from the election until the polls are closed in EVERY state. The 2000 election should have taught us something...but, based on the arrogant BS in the article above, it is apparent that it did not.

By: Brett

Brett — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 20:17:12 +0000

I agree. We ought to switch over to the Oregon voting system - everybody votes by mail. None of this "wait for the exit polls!" crap; you just set the deadline for November 4 to have your ballot mailed in, then release the results at midnight.

By: David

David — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:54:22 +0000

It would be totally irresponsible for the networks to call the election by 8pm considering that most of the state polls would have just closed and it would basically mean depending on exit polls. If they did that - and then found out later that those polls are not correct - i.e. they call VA for Obama when McCain really takes it or worse yet PA, FL or OH - then the media will basically be responsible for a completely botched election - especially if either a)Republicans go home in droves when their guy was winning and thus cost McCain the votes he needs in NM, AZ, CO and elsewhere or b) cost Obama the election when his supporters go out partying instead of voting - and then find out later that the votes they didnt cast in AZ, CO and NM and NV cost him an election he should have won.

At the very least they should wait till its 10pm EST and have all but the West Coast finished up so that only a few states woudl be affected by a wrong call.

By: Floyd

Floyd — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:27:55 +0000

""Networks May Call Race by 8 Eastern"" """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" Does ANYBODY think they haven't already??

By: R. Kevin Hill

R. Kevin Hill — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:05:59 +0000

No "A" in "bellwethers."

By: davod

davod — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:27:09 +0000

Anything which has the potential to reduce turnout is disconcerting. Especially now that the popular vote has taken on such importance.

Mind you. There are jurisdictions where they stop counting when it is clear they have a winner. So I find it difficult to understand how anyone can come up with a valid number for the popular vote.

By: The Heretik : Project This

The Heretik : Project This — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:05:46 +0000

[...] wait to call the election? And how would you do it? When asked how Katie Couric, who is leading CBS’s [...]

By: Steven Taylor

Steven Taylor — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:37:48 +0000

Ottovbvs is right: early states, PA in particular, will clearly signal the direction we are going. It is entirely possible that fairly early in the evening that we will know where we are headed, unlike the last two cycles. Indeed, tonight is more likely to be like 1996, when we had a pretty good idea early in the evening.

McCain literally has only a handful (or less) of possible ways to win, and if he doesn't start down one of those paths early in the evening--well before the West Coast is finished voting, then we will know who the winner will be.

What that means about when the nets will actually pull out the presidential computer graphics is another matter.

And, to echo something James noted, I really wish we would go to weekend voting.

By: Ottovbvs

Ottovbvs — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:09:41 +0000

Guys, watch two results. If Obama wins VA and PA it's over. If Obama wins PA and loses VA it's probably over. If McCain wins PA it's going to be a long night. Personally I think the chances of him winning PA are zilch but I'm just bloviating. All the polls have converged, oh what a surprise, and at the national level they show this to be a 7-8 point race, none of them, not one, have the O man at below 50. Unless every single one of them is totally incompetent the O man has a 90%+ chance of winning. You choose.

By: sam

sam — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:18:20 +0000

We’re a huge country with people living in six time zones. The only palatable way to end the annoyance of having the press influence voting out West is to hold elections over a weekend and stop voting at a synchronized time. Or do away with in-person voting altogether and have everyone vote absentee. That may well happen — we’re gradually trending that way — for other reasons.

Right. Orin Kerr over at the Volokh Conspiracy dug up this tidbit from a Congressional Research Service Report (2001):

Elections for all federal elected officials are held on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years . . . ; presidential elections are held in every year divisible by four. Congress selected this day in 1845 (5 Stat. 721); previously, states held elections on different days between September and November, a practice that sometimes led to multiple voting across state lines, and other fraudulent practices. By tradition, November was chosen because the harvest was in, and farmers were able to take the time needed to vote. Tuesday was selected because it gave a full day's travel between Sunday, which was widely observed as a strict day of rest, and election day. [Footnote: In most rural areas, the only polling place was at the county seat, frequently a journey of many miles on foot or horseback.] Travel was also easier throughout the north during November, before winter had set in.

The Founders, I'm reasonably certain, did not envision a country spanning six time zones with (almost) instantaneous communications. Thus, technology can outrun and trump constitutional intent. It might be interesting, though, to examine (speculate on) reasons why some politicians might not want to change the current electoral scheme.