Should results be held until ALL polls close?

[Drakkon]

Flipping between the news channels right now and all seems to be playing up how they will have results soon as pools close on the east coast, how fast they might have them in ohio, virginia, indiana, etc. Even making some cases for how they can call states already.
To me this really screws with the whole contest. If you want to deal with local races then fine, but for a national election you shouldn't be telling West coast states their votes may not matter - some of these stations saying they could be declaring a winner by 900 eastern time - when people on the west coast just have gotten off work and Alaska/Hawaii are still at work. It puts influence on a process that should not be influenced in any way. It makes me sick to see these news channels fighting over who can declare a winner first. I say FCC needs to lay down some standards and keep the results private till polls close in Hawaii as they are part of this country too. Yeah it likely means you have to wait until you wake up the next morning to find out the results. Is that really such a bad thing? I'd love to see an argument for releasing these results so early.

 

[dullard]

Arguments for early result reporting:

1) It is up for the states to decide. This is a federal election, but the states make the rules. If you want that changed to prevent early reporting, you need to fundamentally change the election system. Until the rules have changed, lets play by the rules.

2) We have freedom of press. Restrictions of this freedom in this case would do more harm than any possible good.

3) The west coast states aren't swing states. By the time the results are out, the swing states have basically come to an end. A few people changing their mind in Alaska won't impact the election.

4) With long lines, anyone waiting until the late evening to change their vote choice will likely be too late to vote anyways.

5) With the push for national early voting (ie days or weeks ahead) your point becomes less and less important. Soon most people will have voted far before these results come out.

6) Screw the non-voters. If you wanted to wait until the last minute to vote and then didn't vote because you saw a news report on East-coast voting, then screw you. You didn't take advantage of your right nor your duty to vote. The only people harmed by the early results are the people who harmed themselves.

 

[midway]

Yes, I strongly believe they should. There are polls that are open as far as 6 hours after the early polls close. Calling an election or states for someone while other states are still voting can have very odd effects on voting in other states.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: dullard
6) Screw the non-voters. If you wanted to wait until the last minute to vote and then didn't vote because you saw a news report on East-coast voting, then screw you. You didn't take advantage of your right nor your duty to vote. The only people harmed by the early results are the people who harmed themselves.

It isn't your duty at all to vote, that's complete crap.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: TallBill
It isn't your duty at all to vote, that's complete crap.

So, if you chose not to vote based upon a news report on the night of the election it is the government's fault? My point with #6 is that people who want their vote to count can vote. Screw those who don't vote. The timing of the results is meaningless when it comes to your opportunity to vote.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: TallBill
It isn't your duty at all to vote, that's complete crap.

So, if you chose not to vote based upon a news report on the night of the election it is the government's fault? My point with #6 is that people who want their vote to count can vote. Screw those who don't vote. The timing of the results is meaningless when it comes to your opportunity to vote.

There is nobody at fault if someone doesn't vote. Just as we have the right to vote, we have the right not to.

 

[jpeyton]

I voted no.

That will give me more time to party tomorrow night when it gets called early.

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: TallBill
There is nobody at fault if someone doesn't vote. Just as we have the right to vote, we have the right not to.

Which is why I called it a right OR a duty in my post that you complained about. Maybe you missed the "nor" word in my post.

I personally call it a duty, but I never post that it is a duty since people often feel differently. Without people doing their work for the country, we'd fall apart. Democracies can only exist if people vote. Without someone doing that duty, we lose the right.

Just like it is the duty for someone to fight in the armed forces to protect the country, it is a duty for someone to vote for elections to ensure we have a country. You currently have the right to choose if those duties are your duties or someone else's duties.

 

[Kirby]

I would be pretty sweet to wait, then have some open up a envelope with a drum roll.

 

[techs]

Heck, in only 6 hours the first poll will close in New Hampshire and at 12:01 a.m. we will have our first result.
Can't wait.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: dullard

Originally posted by: TallBill
There is nobody at fault if someone doesn't vote. Just as we have the right to vote, we have the right not to.

Which is why I called it a right OR a duty in my post that you complained about. Maybe you missed the "nor" word in my post.

I personally call it a duty, but I never post that it is a duty since people often feel differently. Without people doing their work for the country, we'd fall apart. Democracies can only exist if people vote. Without someone doing that duty, we lose the right.

Just like it is the duty for someone to fight in the armed forces to protect the country, it is a duty for someone to vote for elections to ensure we have a country. You currently have the right to choose if those duties are your duties or someone else's duties.

Huh? I completely understood your "nor", which implies that we have both a right and a duty to vote. You can't have a "not or" unless there are two conditions that can possibly be met.

I just don't feel that it is anyone's duty to vote. Some will be motivated to vote and exercise their right, while others wont.

 

[ProfJohn]

Hold the results till 9PM eastern time, maybe 10.

I just pray that they don't release any type of result that differs from the final outcome.
They especially have to be careful with exit polls since they have been wrong the last 2 elections.

 

[Drakkon]

#1 - I don't get - the States have no control over the news? The FCC does on the other hand...

#2 - The press has to regulate what it puts out there all the time. They have to be careful about reporting troop movements, business transactions, deaths, etc. I figure election reporting falls under that umbrella - don't report until you know the FULL outcome.

#3 - They may not be swing states this year but who knows in 4 years they might be? Just because "its not the case this time" is a piss poor excuse as it is not like things don't change over time.

#4 - See #6

#5 - Where I am early voting numbers are not counted until polls close. I assume this would be the same if it went national. If that were the case i could see your point but until that time I consider this argument moot.

#6 - Just because someone waits till the last minute to vote doesn't necessarily mean they are giving up that right. Many of those voting at the last minute are doing so because they are working their asses off doing 7am-6pm shifts and not able to take the time off normally to go and vote until their employer gives them that time on election day. There are plenty in America who work crazy hours supporting their families and in turn this country who don't deserve to have their vote diminished because they had to wait to the last minute for whatever reason.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Calling an election before the polls close can impact local elections also.

It affected Florida in '00.

First gore, then Bush were called before the polls closed.

It was determined that it had an impact on the panhandle because of the hour difference.
People felt that since the pres race was decided, they did not need to get out and vote. And look how close the race was.

I had seen predictions of over 2000 votes did not go to the polls that intended on doing so and that the reason was that the winner was already called.
With Florida being decided by under 400 votes, who knows what the 2K votes would have done.
The national election should not be called until all polling has closed.
The states should not be called until all polls have closed for the state.

People may exercise their right to not vote; but the media should not influence/impact it in any way. Putting up indicators that your vote will not matter (declaring a winner) is wrong.

 

[ElFenix]

do we really need to know immediately anyway?

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
do we really need to know immediately anyway?

We all already know who's going to win.

A mighty wave is coming from the coasts. The Neanderthals are going to be washed away.

We've reached the knee of the curve and are about to shoot straight up.