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US Election

Democracy Version 1.0: Time for an Upgrade America

This week the world's greatest democracy is looking pretty rickety. Michael Gadiel reports from the front line.

Such irony that the nation leading the world into the Information Age has an electoral system that is so antiquated. America, having bequeathed democracy to the rest of the world, enjoys none of the benefits of a modern electoral system itself. It will take months to determine who is to be the President and only the courts can determine the outcome.

There was high drama on election night euphoria turning to apprehension as the media flip-flopped between candidates. Around 8.00 pm, exit polls and very early figures resulted in the media calling the key State of Florida for Gore. Around 10.30 pm, new figures supporting Bush's lead had mounted, forcing the withdrawal of their prediction. The events of the night were further confused when in the small hours of the morning, it was called for Bush and again returned to the 'too close to call' category. It appears that an over-reliance on exit polls and corrupted data were to blame in the first instance, and perhaps frayed emotions and lack of sleep to blame in the second.

Under the Electoral College system all of the votes from each state are awarded to the single candidate who gains the majority of votes in that state. As such, Florida, with its twenty-five Electoral College votes, is the fourth most populous state in the US. It can swing the outcome in favour of either of the two candidates and is too close to call. Following a re-count the latest figures put Bush as little as 359 votes ahead of Gore.

The Florida poll may not be closed for ten days after the election to allow overseas postal votes to be received. Last election 2, 300 such votes were received, mostly from Military personnel. Is has been deemed that because of resentment arising from the Clinton decision to allow gays into the Military, this group is more likely to vote conservative, despite Gore having served in Vietnam. Further complicating matters is the situation in Palm Beach County, Florida.

In the US elections are conducted under State law and administered by County Administrations, an extra level of government between local and State. This means that voting systems vary depending on location. The punch card system is the most common. The voting card is inserted into the base of a machine and a stylus is used to punch-out a perforated hole in the card corresponding to the candidate of their choice.

Palm Beach, a strongly Democratic area, has produced an anomalously large vote for Pat Buchanan, running for the extreme right. At 3, 000, his vote in this area was ten times the state average and the informal vote is also running at 19, 000 significantly higher than expected. Voters are coming forward claiming that they were confused by the layout of the ballot. Furthermore, there are reports that polling officials were also unclear about the correct manor of voting.

The irregularity relates to the way in which the names were aligned. Names appeared both to the right and the left of the punch-holes, rather then to the left only which is usually the case. Bush's names appeared at the top of the ballot and corresponded to the top hole, Gore was the second name appearing on the right hand side. However Gore's name appeared next to the third punch hole and Buchanan appeared on the right hand side, corresponding to the second punch hole. The statistically anomalous outcomes, suggests that many voters who, intending to vote for Gore, accidentally voted for Bush. A large proportion of the 19, 000 informal votes were irregular because the holes corresponding to both Gore and Buchanan were both punched out indicating a high degree of voter confusion.

Given the closeness of the race, the aberration in Palm Beach County could change the result in the State and therefore the whole National election. The evidence is mounting for a court challenge. Statistical aberrations in the voting outcome, personal testimony from both voters and polling officials regarding the events of the day will all become evidence in the trial. A provision in the Florida State electoral laws, indicating that the names may only be located on the left-hand side of the punch-holes has also emerged. Florida law gives the courts wide discretion in correcting any voting irregularities and the most likely remedy would be an order to re-run the election.

Perhaps we are witnessing the genesis of a new stage in the evolutionary progression of democracy. From primaries to election proper, in the future 'the legal stage' will become a standard feature of the American electoral process. In any event the entertainment is far from over.

Other campaign highlights include the election of Hilary Clinton to the Senate, from New York, establishing her as the most high profile female politician in the country and sparking speculation regarding a 2004 run at the Presidency. There was also the successful election of Gov. Mel Carnahan, the deceased Governor of Missouri, to the Senate the Lt. Governor has indicated that he will appoint his widow, Jean Carnahan, to the position. She has made it clear that she would accept the appointment.

The Democrats have, at best, made moderate gains in both the Houses of Congress however have failed to achieve a majority in either. Depending on the final outcome in Washington State, which is currently too close to call, the Senate may be evenly split. In any case, the Republicans will be working on a very slim majority. Given that the members don't vote strictly along party lines, it means that the Congress is likely to remain grid-locked for the next for years, prohibiting any king of radical reform program from either side.

If he loses the election, Al Gore would be the unluckiest person on earth. On four levels he has been confounded in his mission to achieve the White House. Firstly, he won the popular vote by 120, 000, despite the possibility that he might lose the Electoral College vote. Secondly, the Nader effect which under a preferential system, such as is used in Australia, would ensure that the fifty percent of Nader voters who would otherwise have voted for Gore could have provided him with their second preference. This would have ensured a safe Gore victory. Thirdly, because of the lack of a centrally administered election, local authorities are responsible for the conduct of the ballot in each county potential leading to irregularities and challenges. A situation, such has occurred in Palm Beach County would be less likely.

Finally, only one-third of the American population that is eligible to vote actually does. The fifty- percent figure, used by the media for voter turnout, is the proportion of registered voters, which voted. Whilst only 70% of those that are eligible to register actually do. All the groups that are less likely to register and vote: young people, working people, lower income groups, African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Native- Americans, are disengaged from the political process. Furthermore, the bane of American politics: 'interest groups', which dominate US politics through money and mobilisation of their constituencies, often at the expense of the public interest, can be ascribed to the voluntary voting system. Since those with some sort of direct stake in the outcome are far more likely to turn out and vote, those not directly affected by government decisions, without extreme views, are unlikely to turn out.

Whatever the outcome of these elections, Australians can feel smug lucky for us; we've got Democracy Version 7.0. America is the first modern democracy but also the most antiquated. As a nation they have become too proud of their electoral system to be able to modernise it. If nothing else happens then maybe the events of Campaign 2000 will provide the impetus for them to accept an 'upgrade patch' from the rest of the world. Watch this space!

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  Issue 77 contents

»	Games Workers Still Waiting on Closing Ceremony
»	Showdown: Howard Faces Court Over Rail Sell-Off
»	World Awaits Landmark Slave Labour Decision
»	American Voters Reject Vouchers
»	Illawarra Fights The Big Bastard
»	Retailers Rethink FairWear Retreat
»	Killer Holidays: Activist Fired for Taking Vacation
»	ANZ Faces Contracts Challenge
»	Cup Workers Score Heady Brew
»	Meals on Wheels Turns Mean
»	Wild Horses Get Maurie's Goat
»	Labor Council backs Souths Rally
»	Sisters Celebrate Four Years
»	Reith to Face the Music

»	The Soapbox
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Tool Shed

»	Nader no Fels
»	Sartor's Veladrome

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