Should the secret ballot be abolished?

[2952-0-0]

For the sake of making hughento happy, the procedure originated in what is now South Australia in 1854. Some of us want voting to be more open and that "people should take the responsibility of what they say".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_ballot

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

No. See a problem here?

https://uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/GENERAL/pe1832data.html

[Platypus]

the US was 36 years after us? Geez!

I believe VIC was also the first state to enact it, too; yay us!

You made my nationalistic side very happy, Dean. And no, it shouldn't be abolished, of course.

[Emsworth]

Absolutely not. It would make voting susceptible to blackmail and other corrupt practices.

[minionofmidas]

In fact, it should be protected better. Postal ballots should be given only to those who absolutely need them. In developing countries (not third world so much, but in-between places like Thailand, Russia, South America etc) measures need to be taken to ensure people don't take cameras, cell phones with a photo function, etc, into the polling booth. This was actually done in Thailand in the last elections.

[Richard]

Yes it should.

[A18]

Anyone should be allowed to use a postal ballot. There's no way I'm actually going to physically go to the polls.

[Schmitz in 1972]

No. See a problem here?

https://uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/GENERAL/pe1832data.html

Looks like a North Korean election in MO, MS, and GA

I wonder where those 5 votes in Alabama came from

[minionofmidas]

Anyone should be allowed to use a postal ballot. There's no way I'm actually going to physically go to the polls.

...And as a result, you will be forced to vote the same way as your wife, who is the main breadwinner in the family, is physically much stronger than you, not afraid to use her power, and insists on filling in the postal ballots at the dinner table together.
Happens in millions of households (though I may be exaggerating for effect.)

[A18]

That may happen in about two households

[minionofmidas]

No. Happens literally all the time, mostly with elderly couples. Of course, there isn't always (or most of the time) a threat of violence.

[A18]

So how often does your wife beat you?

[Joe Republic]

Hell no.  Why would anybody want this to happen?

It'd be ironic if the people who support gun ownership because its a protection against tyranny of the government also support this.

[minionofmidas]

So how often does your wife beat you?

I'm no elderly couple.
The point was: For any number of reasons, and in a number of ways, people are regularly intimidated by their spouses in their voting behaviour. In fact, it's much the most pervasive form of voter intimidation around. And postal voting has exploded the problem.

[Gabu]

No, of course not.  The secret ballot was instituted so people could have a say in politics without having it affect their personal lives.  If the ballot were open, any number of people could bully other people into voting differently than how they would have otherwise voted, including family members, employers, friends, etc.  This would be a direct threat to the integrity of democracy.

The secret ballot is intended to protect people like those who voted for Kerry or Nader in Shelby County, Alabama, or those who voted for Bush in San Francisco County, California, and it does that very well.

[Alcon]

Yes for Nader voters.

No for everyone else.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Yes it should.

and why?

[2952-0-0]

I think all postal voting should be banned. Let's have more advanced polling opportunities for those who cannot vote on election day. And for voters living abroad, we should set up voting booths in diplomatic stations like embassies. With postal voting you never know what people are doing there. Who's actually ticking the boxes? Me? Or my bored little sister who selected everything for the MonsterRaving Looney Party?

[Gabu]

I think all postal voting should be banned. Let's have more advanced polling opportunities for those who cannot vote on election day. And for voters living abroad, we should set up voting booths in diplomatic stations like embassies. With postal voting you never know what people are doing there. Who's actually ticking the boxes? Me? Or my bored little sister who selected everything for the MonsterRaving Looney Party?

It's not like the same couldn't happen with in-person voting.  You're fully capable of voting the way your little sister wants you do in the polling booth, just as you're fully capable of letting your little sister fill out your absentee ballot.  You still only get one single vote.

[2952-0-0]

I think all postal voting should be banned. Let's have more advanced polling opportunities for those who cannot vote on election day. And for voters living abroad, we should set up voting booths in diplomatic stations like embassies. With postal voting you never know what people are doing there. Who's actually ticking the boxes? Me? Or my bored little sister who selected everything for the MonsterRaving Looney Party?

It's not like the same couldn't happen with in-person voting.  You're fully capable of voting the way your little sister wants you do in the polling booth, just as you're fully capable of letting your little sister fill out your absentee ballot.  You still only get one single vote.

True, but have you heard of all the problems Britain had with mail-in-voting-on-demand? If you can't be bothered to get to the polls you shouldn't vote.

[minionofmidas]

I'm ready to allow postal votes for those living more than a set distance from their polling station, and the infirm.

[Richard]

I'm ready to allow postal votes for those living more than a set distance from their polling station, and the infirm.

Are you telling me you're discriminating against me based on my ability to walk or not? 

[minionofmidas]

I'm ready to allow postal votes for those living more than a set distance from their polling station, and the infirm.

Are you telling me you're discriminating against me based on my ability to walk or not? 

Guess what. The government's doing it already.

[JohnFKennedy]

Of course not, it would subject voters to intimidation and widespread corruption (well, more widespread corruption) in elections.

[2952-0-0]

I'm ready to allow postal votes for those living more than a set distance from their polling station, and the infirm.

Maybe we should decrease the person-to-voting booth ratio so that people don't have to wait for three hours to vote.