NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=9510

Two candidates in Kauai's mayoral primary election filed challenges today with the Hawaii Supreme Court to Mayor Bryan Baptiste's one-vote victory.

By gathering just over half of all votes cast, Baptiste was declared the outright winner of the election without having to face a general election runoff.

The challenge is for "the integrity of the system," because we use a paper system (fill in the circle) and an electronic system (touch the name). The moral of the story? Your single vote may very well decide the outright winner of a free democratic election, but your one vote will cost the taxpayers millions in legal fees.

Why not just run the damned election again?

http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=9510



The challenge is for "the integrity of the system," because we use a paper system (fill in the circle) and an electronic system (touch the name). The moral of the story? Your single vote may very well decide the outright winner of a free democratic election, but your one vote will cost the taxpayers millions in legal fees.

one of the drawbacks to a democratic system. the victory can be as slim as ONE VOTE.

Why not just run the damned election again?

Because that would make sense.

one of the drawbacks to a democratic system. the victory can be as slim as ONE VOTE.

I agree, but would there ever be a candidate willing to accept a one-vote loss? I mean (playing devil's advocate), I'm sure I could find two suspicious circles out of 16,342 votes cast. And two votes in my favor would turn into a one-vote victory for me. :-)

Not that I'm trying to echo Florida or hanging chads or anything, I'm just saying that we teach people that YOUR VOTE DOES MATTER in an electoral system, that YOUR VOTE could mean the difference between a winner and a loser. Except that it doesn't really, because small margins will ALWAYS be challenged.

I agree, but would there ever be a candidate willing to accept a one-vote loss? I mean (playing devil's advocate), I'm sure I could find two suspicious circles out of 16,342 votes cast. And two votes in my favor would turn into a one-vote victory for me. :-)

Not that I'm trying to echo Florida or hanging chads or anything, I'm just saying that we teach people that YOUR VOTE DOES MATTER in an electoral system, that YOUR VOTE could mean the difference between a winner and a loser. Except that it doesn't really, because small margins will ALWAYS be challenged.

if it were me, I would want a recount. but I would then accept the recount. even if it still showed me loosing by one vote.

then use that to bolster my next run! :D

if it were me, I would want a recount. but I would then accept the recount. even if it still showed me loosing by one vote.

then use that to bolster my next run! :D

I know, I think anyone would want a recount. :)

hold up, does the phrase 'primary election' have some specialized technical meaning on kauai?

hold up, does the phrase 'primary election' have some specialized technical meaning on kauai?

err.. since the Primary decides who runs in the general... one party cannot have two canidates running for office... that would actually hurt their chances.

err.. since the Primary decides who runs in the general... one party cannot have two canidates running for office... that would actually hurt their chances.

yeah - i'm just confused by having a primary and a general election runoff. do they have primary-1 and then runoff primary-2?

hold up, does the phrase 'primary election' have some specialized technical meaning on kauai?

Doed Kauai require voters to show a photo ID when they vote? Point is a photo ID could help to cut down on any voter fraud that could lead to a one vote victory.

hold up, does the phrase 'primary election' have some specialized technical meaning on kauai?

No, just that a local candidate winning a primary with a majority (vice a plurality) wins the election outright, with no runoff required.

No, just that a local candidate winning a primary with a majority (vice a plurality) wins the election outright, with no runoff required.

Same way in Louisiana.

Doed Kauai require voters to show a photo ID when they vote? Point is a photo ID could help to cut down on any voter fraud that could lead to a one vote victory.

I don't think the concern is with fraud, but with people who don't know how to work the machines or how to fill in circles next to names.

yeah - i'm just confused by having a primary and a general election runoff. do they have primary-1 and then runoff primary-2?

No, if it was just a non-majority plurality in the primary, then the top two candidates would run again in the general election.

yeah - i'm just confused by having a primary and a general election runoff. do they have primary-1 and then runoff primary-2?

aha! it's a 'nonpartisan' race. so primary does have a sort of different technical usage there, then.

No, if it was just a non-majority plurality in the primary, then the top two candidates would run again in the general election.

which makes the 'primary' more like round one voting in, for example, french presidential elections. it isn't a primary election at all in the typical usian sense.

which makes the 'primary' more like round one voting in, for example, french presidential elections. it isn't a primary election at all in the typical usian sense.

A nice, happy two round runoff system. w00t.

aha! it's a 'nonpartisan' race. so primary does have a sort of different technical usage there, then.

Yeah, I was getting confused myself too. Well, if he took over 50% then he wins, even if that "over" means just one vote. I don't see what the issue is here.