What would be so wrong about taking one or more days to count the votes (GE)

[IDemo]

After over a year of campaigning, why is it that the vote tally must be counted and released to the public on election night with voting still in progress? Besides alleviating the anxiety of candidates and supporters, what possible good comes of the rush to tally the votes? Oh, and beside the advertising revenue coming from the non-stop network coverage, complete with garish graphics and music.

I can think of at least two reasons for extending the time period before an official count is released: 1) It is no secret that voters in the West, and particularly in Alaska and Hawaii, may feel their vote is unnecessary after it becomes evident that the election has been decided, and 2) An extended vote tallying period, as much as a week if needed, would allow a return to hand counted paper ballots without overloading the system.

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. We're densely populated here. Security would be a nightmare to

maintain. You saw the mess in Florida ... I don't want to imagine the scaled up version here in the Big Apple.

Optical scanners are effective, can be tested and deployed at the precinct level ... there's nothing new about maintaining subtotal integrity.

You don't have to sacrifice efficiency - we use ATMs without a second thought.

[IDemo]

2. I'm not saying that every area would necessarily be hand counted

But in those places where it would not present a logistical nightmare, they would have the time needed to get the count right without the hanging chad scenario. My concern with this post is less about ballot methods than an accurate count.

[DCKit]

6. The hanging chads and mis-votes were the result of sabotaged ballotts.

They were undersized.

We can and we should vote paper ballots.

[sam sarrha]

3. the only real problem with hand counted ballots is that it is harder to rig the election..

[bemildred]

5. Duh. Same reason we have a two year campaign and bizarre primary schedule. nt

[ProfessorGAC]

4. I Concur

I would think integrity and accuracy to be FAR more important than speed. I could wait a few days if i knew it was to assure the results are correct.
The Professor

[TahitiNut]

7. In a nation where more and more high school graduates cannot make change ...

... I have to wonder whether the phobia regarding hand-counts (and basic arithmetic) isn't well-founded. :shrug:

That said, I see absolutely no substitute for extensive hand-tallies even if they're only employed as a validation of a scanner tally.