9th Circus: "Vote-swapping is OK"

[unixronin]

It is reported that the 9th Circuit Court has ruled vote-swapping sites are legal.  The decision refers to the voteswap.com and voteexchange.com sites that allowed Gore and Nader supporters to effectively "move their votes around" in the 2000 Presidential election to states where they might have more effect.

On the one hand, this is the Ninth Circus, the most-reversed circuit court in the United States.  On the other hand, this might be a first step towards actually electing national offices via the popular vote at the national level, instead of voters voting for electors who then do pretty much as they please (and whose votes are not allocated consistently from one state to another).

Not only do I think the electoral college, though well-intentioned, is an outmoded institution that no longer actually serves its original intended purpose, but here's a point to consider:  Maybe, just maybe, if the "winner takes all" electoral system went away, it might become more publicly visible that even in the states that are considered unshakeably solid red or blue strongholds, Presidential candidates usually win or lose only by relatively small margins.  If it was more visible to the public exactly how small those margins are — if it was clear that there are no "red" and "blue" states, just a collection of varying shades of purple — then maybe the victors might not be quite so quick to claim sweeping mandates from the people, and we might start to set aside the political divisiveness that is currently making the political climate of this nation "Us vs. Them".

Comments

[sierra-nevada.livejournal.com]

One of the things that the ballot system is not supposed to give you is a receipt that shows who you voted for, to undermine the verification of direct vote buying (very hard to stop indirect vote buying, i.e. pork-barrel spending). Given that, verification of a vote swap is, in principle, equally hard.

I need to go read that opinion (and the dissents). If the Supremes decide to hear an appeal, it will be interesting to read their opinions, also.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Indeed. You have only your "swap partner"'s word that they voted the way they promised to. It's an honor system.

It's going to be interesting to see how it shakes out.