Italy 2013: The official thread

[Kitteh]

Anyway, just "voted"!

By "voted", I mean, my parents put a cross on the symbol I indicated and then put my ballot in the envelope... which of course looks nothing like really voting.

Is that really legal?

I remember, in 2003, when I was 8 years old, my mom took me into the voting booth with her and had me push the button to "vote" against recalling Gray Davis. I'm sure that was illegal and I'm surprised they allowed it, but the fact that the polling place was the house of someone a block away from us who we knew well (and who was working as one of the poll monitors that day) might have had something to do with it.

[Tender Branson]

Italy has compulsory voting? That's news to me.

This source has the explanation:

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[Antonio the Sixth]

Anyway, just "voted"!

By "voted", I mean, my parents put a cross on the symbol I indicated and then put my ballot in the envelope... which of course looks nothing like really voting.

Is that really legal?

Considering this is vote by mail and nobody will know who put the ballot in the envelope... kinda. How would you prevent that from happening?


Anyway, Italy's high turnout certainly has something to do with the fact you have two days of vote instead of only one like in most European countries. Sure, most US States have like two weeks and turnout is still abysmal...

[Tender Branson]

How would you prevent that from happening?

Theoretically, your parents could send you your absentee ballot from Paris to San Francisco and you fill it out and return it to Italy by post ...

Otherwise:

VOTE FRAUD ! (Your parents might have voted for Silvio, and you don't even know it ... )

[Antonio the Sixth]

How would you prevent that from happening?

Theoretically, your parents could send you your absentee ballot from Paris to San Francisco and you fill it out and return it to Italy by post ...

Otherwise:

VOTE FRAUD ! (Your parents might have voted for Silvio, and you don't even know it ... )

I know they didn't: I watched the whole process through Skype. Voting is serious business.

[Tender Branson]

Question for Antonio:

Don't you have to personally sign the absentee ballot before hitting it into the letterbox ?

That's at least what I had to do ahead of the draft referendum, when I voted absentee.

So, if your parents "voted" for you, did they fake your signature ? Or is there none required ?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Question for Antonio:

Don't you have to personally sign the absentee ballot before hitting it into the letterbox ?

That's at least what I had to do ahead of the draft referendum, when I voted absentee.

So, if your parents "voted" for you, did they fake your signature ? Or is there none required ?

No, there's no signature required. The Italian consulate sends ballot's at the proper address, it's filled out and posted.

Where do you sign in Austria? And how do you avoid the problem of election officials being able to see who you voted for?

[Tender Branson]

Question for Antonio:

Don't you have to personally sign the absentee ballot before hitting it into the letterbox ?

That's at least what I had to do ahead of the draft referendum, when I voted absentee.

So, if your parents "voted" for you, did they fake your signature ? Or is there none required ?

No, there's no signature required. The Italian consulate sends ballot's at the proper address, it's filled out and posted.

Where do you sign in Austria? And how do you avoid the problem of election officials being able to see who you voted for?

You sign the absentee ballot ENCLOSURE only, to guarantee that you yourself have filled out the ballot (of course nobody can check that ... ). The actual ballot is in a separate enclosure inside that first enclosure, which is then taken out at the district election commission the day after the election and all "real" anonymous ballot enclosures are then opened by the 10 or so members of the county election commission and counted. That guarantees the secrecy, because there are 2 enclosures and the ballot.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Question for Antonio:

Don't you have to personally sign the absentee ballot before hitting it into the letterbox ?

That's at least what I had to do ahead of the draft referendum, when I voted absentee.

So, if your parents "voted" for you, did they fake your signature ? Or is there none required ?

No, there's no signature required. The Italian consulate sends ballot's at the proper address, it's filled out and posted.

Where do you sign in Austria? And how do you avoid the problem of election officials being able to see who you voted for?

You sign the absentee ballot ENCLOSURE only, to guarantee that you yourself have filled out the ballot (of course nobody can check that ... ). The actual ballot is in a separate enclosure inside that first enclosure, which is then taken out at the district election commission the day after the election and all "real" anonymous ballot enclosures are then opened by the 10 or so members of the county election commission and counted. That guarantees the secrecy, because there are 2 enclosures and the ballot.

Sorry, I'm an idiot. We actually do have two enclosures as well in Italy (since on the external one there is the voter's name, obviously). No signature though.

[Obamanation]

I just sent my electoral card in!

PD with La Marca and Piana (preference) for North/Central America deputies. Too young for Senate.

[Keystone Phil]

I just sent my electoral card in!

PD with La Marca and Piana (preference) for North/Central America deputies. Too young for Senate.

Bucchino is retiring, right? Is it a real free for all or is there a favorite on the PD site.

[Kitteh]

Too young for Senate.

Wait, there's a separate voting age for senate?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Too young for Senate.

Wait, there's a separate voting age for senate?

Yeah, you must be over 25 I think.

[MaxQue]

Too young for Senate.

Wait, there's a separate voting age for senate?

Yes, 25, apparently.

[Obamanation]

I just sent my electoral card in!

PD with La Marca and Piana (preference) for North/Central America deputies. Too young for Senate.

Bucchino is retiring, right? Is it a real free for all or is there a favorite on the PD site.

Not entirely sure but, yes Bucchino isn't on the candidates list.

[Tender Branson]

Silvio Berlusconi asked a young female solar power technician yesterday how often she "comes":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVFhRmHmp8c

This is pretty funny actually, because the young woman then said that it depends and she often "comes" 3, 4, 5 times ...

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[Tender Branson]

LOL at this epic smile on Silvio's face:

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

Sure, most US States have like two weeks and turnout is still abysmal...

Yes but in the US you might also have to stand in line for a few hours to cast you ballot. 

[Beet]

Berlusconi is only 5'5? He's a hero to us short guys!

[Rocky Rockefeller]

I don't understand how Berlusconi, after all the scandals he's been through, can really be making such a remarkable comeback. Can somebody inform me on what exactly this guy's appeal is?

[Antonio the Sixth]

I don't understand how Berlusconi, after all the scandals he's been through, can really be making such a remarkable comeback. Can somebody inform me on what exactly this guys appeal is?

I didn't see that coming either, to be honest. I guess a significant factor behind it is the thorough stupidity, not only of the Italian electorate, but also of Berlusconi's opponents, especially Bersani with his absurd shenanigans with Monti. That doesn't exactly explain it, still.

Keep also in mind that Berlusconi's current level of polling (18-20% for PdL, 4-5% for Lega, around 5% for minor partners) is not exactly impressive. It's just that the threshold for victory is significantly lowered due to the unusually large number of competitive political force.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Anyway, a new scandal pops up today. The CEO of Finmeccanica, Italy's greatest industrial company, is in jail on bribery charges. This time it could hurt Monti, apparently, because the government had oversight on Finmeccanica and could possibly have acted earlier.

[Keystone Phil]

I don't understand how Berlusconi, after all the scandals he's been through, can really be making such a remarkable comeback. Can somebody inform me on what exactly this guy's appeal is?

We were all so very foolish to ever completely write the guy off. This is Italy. Love him or hate, the guy means so much to the country, for better or worse.

And, yeah, as I've said before, never underestimate the Italian Left's ability to throw it all away.

[Franknburger]

What are the general news (aside from corruption scandals) on economic development in the individual regions? And how could this impact on voting for the House and the Senate?

[Iannis]

"Love him or hate him" is exactly the philosophy I don't agree with. I have never hated nor loved him, he's a politician like others, who I won't vote. Too much importance has been given to any his littel gestures or word.