Problem:
In the current system, U.S. elections span multiple days, with early voting, absentee ballots, and delayed ballot counting. This creates challenges such as:
• Voter confusion about deadlines and voting methods.
• Delays in results, which can cause uncertainty about the outcome and potentially undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
• Extended exposure to election-related misinformation and manipulation.
• Unequal access to voting, as early voting disproportionately favors certain populations and leads to complications in ensuring a fair and transparent process.
The current system, while aiming to increase accessibility, may inadvertently dilute the impact of Election Day, making it more about the voting period than about the democratic act itself. The proliferation of absentee ballots and delayed counting has made elections unnecessarily complex, leading to inefficiencies and confusion.
Solution:
This policy proposes a one-day national election system where all voting occurs on the same day—with an option for absentee ballotsthat are cast before Election Day. All ballots must be counted and results tallied within 24 hours of polls closing, ensuring a clear and timely outcome.
Key Provisions:
- Election Day:
• Voting would take place on one single day.
• All in-person voting would occur during the standard hours, with local governments determining the exact polling hours based on local needs.
- Absentee Ballots:
• Absentee ballots would be authorized and must be requested before Election Day.
• Absentee ballots would need to be submitted at least one week before Election Day, ensuring that they are accounted for in the 24-hour tally process.
• Voters must be allowed to cast absentee ballots for legitimate reasons, including being out of state, incapacitated, or having a religious or work conflict preventing them from voting on Election Day.
- Counting and Results:
• All ballots (whether in-person or absentee) must be tallied within 24 hours of polls closing, ensuring a timely and transparent result.
• States would be required to set up the necessary systems to ensure swift counting, and it would become illegal to delay results for more than 24 hours after polls close.
• Election officials would work with the necessary technology to enable a streamlined and efficient counting process while ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the vote.
- Election Integrity:
• To prevent fraud or mishandling of ballots, the policy would include strict accountability measures for absentee ballots, including:
• Strict verification procedures for absentee ballots to ensure that the person submitting the ballot is registered and eligible.
• Tracking systems for absentee ballots, ensuring they are counted on time.
• Transparency: There would be strict rules for public transparency on the counting process, with the media, political parties, and the public allowed to observe and audit the counting procedures in real-time.
- Public Awareness:
• A public education campaign would ensure voters are informed of the new system, including deadlines for absentee ballots and the exact time and date for Election Day.
• Voters would also be reminded of the importance of early voting for absentee ballots to ensure timely counting.
Benefits:
• Increased Election Integrity: By ensuring that votes are counted within 24 hours, this policy reduces the chances of manipulation or fraud that could arise from prolonged counting periods. Immediate tallying ensures that results are transparent, fostering public trust.
• Simplification of Voting: By limiting the voting period to a single day, voters will know when to vote, reducing confusion about early voting periods and absentee ballots. This leads to a simpler and more streamlined voting process, making it easier for people to participate.
• Decreased Election Misinformation: One-day voting reduces the length of time during which misinformation can spread about the election results. This can help maintain public confidence in the system and prevent delays that could allow misleading narrativesto take hold.
• Equal Access for All: A single Election Day provides equal access to voting, reducing any unfair advantages that early voting or absentee ballot processes may give to certain groups. It would ensure a more equitable process, where everyone participates on the same day.
• Faster Results: By requiring the immediate tallying of results, citizens, media, and political parties can know the outcome of the election almost immediately after the polls close, allowing for quicker reactions and decisions.
Challenges and Considerations:
• Transition Costs: Moving to a one-day election system will require initial investment in the infrastructure to handle both Election Day voting and absentee ballots. States may need to improve technology, staffing, and ballot handling to ensure everything is ready in time for this streamlined process.
• Voter Accessibility: Some voters, particularly those who are physically disabled, live in remote areas, or have work commitments on Election Day, may face barriers to voting. Therefore, we will need to ensure that absentee voting is still accessible and easy to manage while maintaining accountability.
• Overburdened Polling Stations: Depending on the size of the electorate, there may be an overcrowding issue at polling places, especially in densely populated areas. This could lead to long wait times. It will be important to ensure that polling places are adequately staffed and that voting technology (e.g., electronic voting machines, paper ballots) is in place to handle large volumes of voters quickly.
• Ensuring Fairness: While absentee ballots would still be an option, there must be rigorous efforts to ensure that late or improperly submitted absentee ballots are not counted and that all ballots are accurately verified.
How This Would Work:
• Election Day Voting: All in-person voting would take place on a single day. Polling places will be open for at least 12 hours(e.g., 7 AM to 7 PM) to accommodate various work schedules. Local governments will be responsible for organizing staffing and ensuring that election facilities are accessible.
• Absentee Voting: Absentee voting will remain available for legitimate reasons and ballots must be received at least one week before Election Day to be counted. States will be required to have clear tracking and verification procedures in place.
• Immediate Results Tallying: After polling closes, all votes, including absentee, must be tallied and a final result must be reported within 24 hours.
Conclusion:
A one-day national election system will help streamline the electoral process, ensure equitable access to voting, and provide timely results, reinforcing the integrity and trustworthiness of the electoral process. By ensuring that all citizens vote on the same day, with a robust system for absentee voting, we can avoid the complications of extended voting periods and election result delays. This policy will encourage a more efficient, transparent, and unified system that strengthens the democratic process and promotes a healthier, more participatory society.