Where We Live: A Mysterious Bag And The Mechanics Of Polling

Listener Email from Peter

Regarding the old voting machines, isn't this, like most exercises in nostalgia, fairly selective? The manipulation of the 1960 presidential vote in favor of John Kennedy in Chicago was undoubtably done with voting machines and there are probably other less well-known examples. The problems in Bridgeport were both human and systemic errors that are easily remedied and unlikely to be repeated.

Listener Email from Betty

Having voted in 3 other states before moving to Ct, I have found ct the most difficult place to figure out what districts I am in and where to vote. Other states send out voter registration cards that indicate all of your voting districts clearly and tells you your polling location.

Here in Glastonbury my location has changed since I moved here, and I have had to search maps and the internet to try to figure out how and where to vote. I am a reasonably intelligent person, so I wonder how many people just give up because they cannot figure it out - when they could know easily if the registrar sent out postcards with the information on it for each registered voter.

(By the way, I've been voting with the "fill in the bubble' system since I was 18 in Texas (and I am 51. So when I moved to CT, I was shocked to see these antiquated machines that didn't show me the ballot so I could check to see that my vote was what I thought I had
cast.)

Listener Email from Fran

CT gradually changed over from hand counting to voting machines between 1940 and 1944.
About spare parts, a machine mechanic once told me that most breakdowns could be fixed with bent paper clips and rubber bands until spare parts could be ordered.

Did Bridgeport save money on this elections.

This year, Kent paid $.45 for each ballot. We had 200 more than needed, but the figure of $.10 per card is not realistic--each voting district has a different list of candidates.

Errors may easily occur in human transcription rather than machine malfunction. Fraud (widely suspected in 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections) is another matter.

Remedies: essential to standardize STATE election laws--early voting, absentee ballots, registration deadlines (same day, no party affiliation required for primariesetc.) have not kept up with lifestyles, technology.

Listener Email from Vincent

I don't have time to call, but you have to ask if anyone is going to be held accountable for this mess.

I lived overseas for 15 years in the EU and since I've returned I've just seen a state (both in terms of CT and the USA) that is poorly managed and embarrassingly underfunded. We're supposed to be a rich country but we can't afford to print enough ballots.

Another thing, polling official across the state asked for every voter's ID, which is illegal. I worked as a poll watcher and we had to have the county registrar contact our local polling place to put a stop to the practice, but apparently this happens all over the state.

Why is the US so lame?

Listener Email from Anthony

just a couple of comments - 1 we can put a man on the moon 41 yrs ago and we still can't count votes. why is this? technology is great but what was wrong with the old mechanical voting machines?
2 i'm a democrat -and proud to be one - but i think our secretary of state should go quietly into the good night. every time she opens her mouth i cringe.

Listener Email from Lisa

I agree completely with Bill Curry; this entire mess is a result of the fact that Connecticut insists on clinging to the parochialism of “home rule” for 169 towns. In the 21st century it is absurd that each and every town/registrar has the responsibility and control for its own election process! If and when the new Secretary of the State recommends that the legislature mandates the availability of one ballot for every registered voter, she should also recommend that the process itself become more centralized on the state level.