Voting and Ballot Input

[HerNibs]

I am looking for input about the upcoming elections. Not who but how. With the mess in Florida during the last presidential the Help America Vote Act was introduced into my world. I hear a great deal about people wanting paper ballots, that touch screen voting is unreliable and punch cards should probably not be mentioned at all.

So here are a couple of questions -

What would you do for an honest and secure election? (Sorry, politicians must remain involved.)

Why?

What is the biggest problem with the voting process today?

[fishbob]

What is the biggest problem with the voting process today? I don't have an answer to your other questions, but for this one - Lack of decent candidates.

[Grammatron]

Originally posted by fishbob
I don't have an answer to your other questions, but for this one - Lack of decent candidates.

Lack of different candidates as well.

[HerNibs]

You should see the politicians from where I sit. Very scary. Then again, a good portion of the voting public scares me as well.

I just thought I would ask my questions because I've seen some pretty impressive ideas on JREF.

I can't take politicians out of the formula for elections. I agree that we lack good choices. Heck some of my candidates can't seem to figure out a calendar.

I was thinking more of the voting process. Is everyone happy with the way that they vote? Should we revert to paper ballots? Voting by mail, provisional ballots and absentee ballots, problems?

I realize that this may not be a big issue right now but it will be soon. I may seem a bit focused on this because part of my job is to create and implement the process. There always seems to be a vast amount of information and valid concerns in different areas posted here. Just wanted some input. Thanks!
:)

[swellman]

Originally posted by HerNibs
What would you do for an honest and secure election? (Sorry, politicians must remain involved.)

Have ALL elections, at every level in every jurisdiction, run by a non-political bureaucracy.

Avoid the gadget BS - because it is new/electronic/cool does not make it foolproof and secure. Or less prone to debatable results.

What is the biggest problem with the voting process today?

Voters' lack of engagement with civics in general. Many I know don't vote, or vote along habitual lines regardless of the candidates or the issues. And many buy into the media's presentation of government as a sporting event.