Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Media, Politics, Society

Waiting For Democracy

As the polls grind to a close, various images linger from the humorous of a surfer voting in California fresh from the beach with his board to the inspiring of a woman in labor insisting on voting before going to the hospital. However, one image remains consistent across the country: absurdly long line. Despite scandals from 2008 of people waiting for hours to vote, election officials have again produced endless lines by failing to produce adequate voting machines for the expected vote in many areas. My voting place in McLean was wonderful – enough machines and short lines. However, I have heard nightmare stories from others around the region including over three hour waits in Maryland.

I helped cover the last election in 2008 for CBS and recall discussing the lines in Ohio where people literally passed out waiting to vote. My students reported waiting for as long as three hours in Virginia. One student from New York applied for an absentee ballot almost two months ago and never received it. From New Jersey to Florida to Ohio, people are legitimately irate that after many billions of dollars in federal funds, states continue to fail to consistently offer sufficient resources for citizens across the country. We should have a consistent benchmark standard that voters should be able to get in line and vote within 30 minutes.

The lack of resources comes with suspicions of a planned failure. In Ohio in 2004, we were struck by the consistently long lines in Democratic and minority areas. We pressed the Kerry campaign whether it would challenge the pattern across the state. At first, the campaign indicated that it would but then Kerry himself threw in the towel. Now, four years later (and 12 years after the Florida disaster) we are again left astonished by the lines – forcing voters to wait for hours despite work and family obligations. Nevertheless, politicians continue to express contempt for the relatively low percentages of people voting while repeatedly failing to meet this very basic function of a democracy. Once again, billions evaporated into the pockets of lobbyists and contractors while the lines again appear around the country.

This evening on national news two stories were shown by NBC News. If you turned off the sound, it would seem that the network repeated the story. It showed endless lines of tired people. However, the first story was a line of voters at a typical voting place while the second story was a line of hurricane victims. After the debacles in 2000 and 2008, we are still faced with chaotic polling places with lines stretching for blocks. It is not just an insult to our citizens but a recurring embarrassment for the world’s leading democracy.

Jonathan Turley

141 thoughts on “Waiting For Democracy”

  1. They say that it is another America which chose Obama:
    the young, old, women, latinos and other persons of color, and apparently some of the 47 percent. Old white men won’t control anymore for them. Shall we hope that Kochs choke on their money.

    290 Obama—203 Romney is the count now.

  3. Gene,

    Lucas also has a lot to count and that’s also a strongly democrat area. Gotta remember both Kaptur and Brown are from these areas and they beat the pants off their opponents.

    Republicans here (our local blogs) are also starting with the what-ifs … what-if he’d chosen someone other than Ryan … what-if he’d fought back on the auto bailout issue … the what-ifs only start when defeat is certain. They know he’s lost and they are worried about what that means for the Republican Party here, in Ohio.

  4. Colorado goes Obama. Rove and the right wing cannot accept Obama’s victory because they are living in a fantasy.

  7. I don’t know if there has been a change since I posted it on another thread but vote totals weren’t coming in from many (generally) blue areas in northern Ohio according to MSNBC. Ohio was right up there as dirty tricks central. One has to wonder what the total will be.

    MSNBC is reporting that Rove is trying to get FOX to rescind its call for Obama without much luck so far. Gee, now he knows how Gore supporters felt in 2000 🙂

  8. lotta,

    Brown and Kaptur were really a safe bet … the one that pleases me is Warren.

  10. Gene,

    Romney is looking at the Southern part but up north in Cuyahoga there are still well over 200,000 votes that have not been counted and Cuyahoga is strongly democrat. There’s more there than in the South.
    Romney’s stance against the auto bailout has many Republicans up north voting for Obama or just not voting for Romney.

  17. At the “decision desk” it is split. Rove says no concession, and there are those who say that the figures not in are given Dem districts.

    Rove in on the way to defend his stance.

  19. SwM,

    Long day.

    Kaptur beat Joe the Plumber by over 70% here for the House seat. Sherrod beat the weasel to retain his Senate seat and Warren’s victory means everybody I contributed to won.

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