Express-Lane Voting: It's Fast, but Problematic
Nearly two-thirds of Harris County's voters pulled the straight-ticket lever when they voted in 2008, ignoring all those pages of candidate names in favor of just voting for one party or the other. Democrats had a slight edge in straight-ticket voting in that county that year. In Tarrant County, the Republicans had the advantage, so the actual mileage varies by location.
When voters — let’s be charitable here — don’t know much about the people they’re selecting, the straight ticket gives them a cheat: Don’t know the candidate? Vote for the party of your choice.
The political ...
Comments (8)
Cinde Weatherby
Informative story on judicial races -- but don't forget the local issue votes too! If you up for a little nostalgia, you need to check out Aaron Sorkin's new video on the subject of effect of straight ticket on judicial races: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v52FLMOPSig
Joe Deshotel
Put me down as a party insider who does not like it. No one even knows who represents them. I think it could bring some level of accountability just to see their name.
In the case of Austin voters this year there are 18 non-partisan propositions that are substantive and likely to be skipped on our 11 page ballot.
donald baker
Funny how straight ticket voting wasn't a problem for the lying left wing jackals of our decadant propaganda media until Republicans began to benefit.
TyroneSlothrop
OK, I've done my research, checked the records of the candidates, and all the ones I want to vote for are Democrats. So why not punch the straight ticket? Unless and until the Republicans put a worthwhile candidate on the ballot in my area, there is no reason not to vote straight Democratic.
Amanda Winters via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Proof that the Romney's 6 "studies" he cites that "dis-prove that his budget explodes the deficit -- are actually blog posts and letters...even Fox is calling him on it. Deceit again. Repost the fact that Pres. Obama & Clinton are the largest deficit reducing presidents ever. The reality is shown in a chart showing how Romney's proposed 2 trillion dollars of military spending, plus 5 trillion dollars of tax cuts really add up. ***Urgent Call for Obama Phone Bankers to Swing States! **Maddow show link is at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/
**A Simple How-To Guide to Phone Bank from home or with others:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CapZ7atsZHbYvCwfAyMHCKc8rHM7vWbELWFs3dy9O8w/edit
**Please Forward this article to friends via phone calls, email, social networks & For Facebook: by hitting the ‘share’ button, re-posting this vital volunteer solicitation to your Facebook walls”, cut and paste this to your Facebook wall, sending out as a Facebook invite and/or posting it onto the Walls of other like-minded Facebook organizations. **Studies show: Facebook swings elections!
Amanda Winters via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Rachel Maddow 10/12/12 Show heaping with Romney lie- busting includes these clips: and whole show online linked below....**Paul Ryan's support for privatization of government programs --even Social Security in the past--which ends the stability of the programs as we know it...and how that plus his lack of specifics on Afghanistan dis-qualify him as Commander in Chief.....
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#49425000
**Republicans love to argue for 'small government' and say that Democrats are agst this==why this is a false argument.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#49397411
**Paul Ryan's Afghanistan plan---re-peating a line from Bush's advisors to Romney -admitting that the 2014 pull-out date may be changed and his hypocrisy in saying he agrees with the pull-out date but we are foolish to set a date in the first place..
*Link to the Friday Knock-out Show:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#49425000
**Urgent Call for Obama Phone Bankers to Swing States! **Maddow show link is at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/
**A Simple How-To Guide to Phone Bank from home or with others:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1CapZ7atsZHbYvCwfAyMHCKc8rHM7vWbELWFs3dy9O8w/edit
**Please Forward this article to friends via phone calls, email, social networks & For Facebook: by hitting the ‘share’ button, re-posting this vital volunteer solicitation to your Facebook walls”, cut and paste this to your Facebook wall, sending out as a Facebook invite and/or posting it onto the Walls of other like-minded Facebook organizations. **Studies show: Facebook swings elections!
Samdavis
Races have gotten so partisan that good candidates gravitate to Democratic and social pariahs gravitate to GOP. Straight ticket works even if I do deselect a candidate once in a while.
Arthur Thomas IV
We elect representatives and not parties. Parties may be a necessary side effect of government but we still pick people for positions and not parties like other countries.
For those wondering, 'why not'. Have you really done your research? What about a race like TX House 121 where there is no democrat. All those straight ticket democrat voters are helping a Republican get into office instead of a Libertarian because they skip right over that race. Thats why not. You are actually working against your goals.
Straight ticket voting is for the lazy stereotyping voter who isn't doing their job as a citizen. Voting is important but its the easy half of being a citizen. Knowing what you are doing is the hard part.