Should “-inc” be removed from the incumbents on the ballots?
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  Should “-inc” be removed from the incumbents on the ballots?
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Author Topic: Should “-inc” be removed from the incumbents on the ballots?  (Read 670 times)
VBM
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« on: November 20, 2020, 05:50:38 PM »

One of the problems that America has is people staying in Congress for way too long simply because of the incumbency advantage that they have. Should we remove “-inc” from the incumbents on the ballots so that way low info voters won’t disproportionately vote for the incumbent simply because they don’t know anything about said Senate/House race and just default to voting for the incumbent?
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gerritcole
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« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2020, 05:54:18 PM »

No lol - like it or not incumbency has its benefits cause at least you've been doing the job. Without the 'inc' we'd unironically get meme candidates elected in smaller races
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VBM
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« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2020, 05:55:13 PM »

No lol - like it or not incumbency has its benefits cause at least you've been doing the job. Without the 'inc' we'd unironically get meme candidates elected in smaller races
A lot of those incumbents are already memes
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John Dule
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« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2020, 06:36:26 PM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.
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Tintrlvr
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« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2020, 07:15:58 PM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

This is how elections work in Japan. It’s probably the most incumbent-friendly way of doing things there is.
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Indy Texas
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« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2020, 01:05:32 AM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

Issues with what happens when people misspell the names, if two candidates have the same/similar names, if you're using an electronic voting machine as opposed to paper ballots, people with illegible handwriting, people taking longer to fill out the ballots and causing long lines, how to accommodate disabled people, etc.
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Indy Texas
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« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2020, 01:06:20 AM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

This is how elections work in Japan. It’s probably the most incumbent-friendly way of doing things there is.

Do they give you a list of candidates or are you supposed to have them memorized before you go into the booth?
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TiltsAreUnderrated
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« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2020, 01:04:57 PM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

Issues with what happens when people misspell the names

Under this system, the brevity and spelling of a candidate's name could start to matter a lot more. Pete Buttigieg, for instance, would have been in even more jeopardy.
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VBM
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« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2020, 03:17:57 PM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

Issues with what happens when people misspell the names
To be fair, how could you be planning on voting for Pete Buttigieg, but not familiar enough with him to remember how to spell his name?
Under this system, the brevity and spelling of a candidate's name could start to matter a lot more. Pete Buttigieg, for instance, would have been in even more jeopardy.
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TiltsAreUnderrated
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« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2020, 03:19:27 PM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

Issues with what happens when people misspell the names
Under this system, the brevity and spelling of a candidate's name could start to matter a lot more. Pete Buttigieg, for instance, would have been in even more jeopardy.
To be fair, how could you be planning on voting for Pete Buttigieg, but not familiar enough with him to remember how to spell his name?

By hearing about him on TV but not reading the news.

Sedgwick County, KS has some gold of its own:


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FEMA Camp Administrator
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« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2020, 03:21:46 PM »

People complain about low voter turnout then turn around and try to make it harder to cast an (un)informed ballot.

At least Dule is being consistent on this.
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VBM
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« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2020, 03:21:54 PM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

Issues with what happens when people misspell the names
Under this system, the brevity and spelling of a candidate's name could start to matter a lot more. Pete Buttigieg, for instance, would have been in even more jeopardy.
To be fair, how could you be planning on voting for Pete Buttigieg, but not familiar enough with him to remember how to spell his name?

By hearing about him on TV but not reading the news.

Sedgwick County, KS has some gold of its own:



Honestly these people are so stupid that it’s probably for the best if their vote doesn’t count
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Rules for me, but not for thee
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« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2020, 03:27:25 PM »

Props to the person who wrote in Eisenhower and "God we still need help" vote.  Yes, yes we do.

Oh yes, remove parties and INC from ballots, stop re-electing scum like Pelosi and McConnell.  If we get "meme candidates" for one term; I'd 1000% prefer that over a 40-year swamp creature.  Make the pages term-limited as well (staffers for the Congresscritters).
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Blue3
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« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2020, 10:17:10 PM »

One of the problems that America has is people staying in Congress for way too long simply because of the incumbency advantage that they have. Should we remove “-inc” from the incumbents on the ballots so that way low info voters won’t disproportionately vote for the incumbent simply because they don’t know anything about said Senate/House race and just default to voting for the incumbent?

It's not on the ballots where I live.

But it might be helpful... since there's more anti-incumbent sentiment here.
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HillGoose
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« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2020, 10:54:20 PM »

No, I need to know who to vote against lmao
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President Punxsutawney Phil
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« Reply #15 on: November 21, 2020, 11:08:30 PM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

This is how elections work in Japan. It’s probably the most incumbent-friendly way of doing things there is.
I assume this has something to do with name recognition, right? I have a fair amount of knowledge about Japanese politics but I still can only guess as to why this situation regarding writing in the candidate's name specifically is so incumbent-friendly.
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VBM
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« Reply #16 on: November 21, 2020, 11:30:54 PM »

No, I need to know who to vote against lmao
Maybe just do some research?
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Tintrlvr
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« Reply #17 on: November 21, 2020, 11:38:01 PM »

Everything should be removed from ballots except for the position. You should then have to write in the candidate's name.

This is how elections work in Japan. It’s probably the most incumbent-friendly way of doing things there is.

Do they give you a list of candidates or are you supposed to have them memorized before you go into the booth?

Memorized. They don’t bunch elections, and it’s a parliamentary system so there aren’t that many elected offices anyway, so there’s typically no more than 1-2 offices on a given ballot, which makes it a bit easier. US elections where there can 10+ different offices on the ballot simultaneously would be impossible to manage.

And, yes, it’s hugely favorable to incumbents in part due to name recognition. Lack of names on the ballot also tends to make opposition votes splinter more than they would otherwise for whatever reason.
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HillGoose
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« Reply #18 on: November 21, 2020, 11:49:07 PM »


No time 4 research when u have to fight the power by voting out all incumbents brah
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Devout Centrist
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« Reply #19 on: November 22, 2020, 04:06:22 PM »

Props to the person who wrote in Eisenhower and "God we still need help" vote.  Yes, yes we do.

Oh yes, remove parties and INC from ballots, stop re-electing scum like Pelosi and McConnell.  If we get "meme candidates" for one term; I'd 1000% prefer that over a 40-year swamp creature.  Make the pages term-limited as well (staffers for the Congresscritters).
That's not going to make things any better.
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