Why We Need a Contingency for Postponing Elections
There is speculation and discussion today on the wisdom of postponing the presidential election in case of a terrorist attack. Here's why I think we need to have a contingency plan to do so.
Certainly, a terrorist attack would not physically prevent most Americans from voting. But as we saw on September 11th, an attack of a certain magnitude would make it impossible for some of us to vote. So what would that mean in a national election?
For the sake of discussion, let's assume a terrorist attack in Miami. It doesn't matter what kind of attack, just that it be large enough, horrifying enough, or confusing enough to prevent people from voting. For the sake of the integrity of a state-wide election, voting would have to be postponed in all of Florida. Now let's assume an election scenario similar to that in 2000.
If the election is postponed in Florida but not nationwide, the entire remainder of the country will vote before Florida, and Floridians will know before they vote that at they alone will be electing the President. With stakes like that focused in a single jurisdiction, the possible reward for corruption, bribery, ballot tampering, disenfranchisement, and all sorts similar nonsense will be increased exponentially.
Consider the kind of shenanigans inspired by the 2000 election after the vote had been cast. Now imagine if the same powerful interests all arrived in Florida before anyone had voted.
At first blush, it seems that a temporary postponement would amount to "letting the terrorists win," but I believe the integrity of the process requires that the entire nation vote on the same day.
Update: Michael Williams posts that elections shouldn't be postponed, and states where voting cannot be completed should have their electoral votes assigned by its legislature.
My problem with this approach is that it focuses the potential for corruption to an even narrower point. And it does nothing to eliminate the corrupting influence described above in which a group of people vote with prior knowledge that their vote alone will (not could, mind you, but will) decide the outcome of an election.
Certainly, a terrorist attack would not physically prevent most Americans from voting. But as we saw on September 11th, an attack of a certain magnitude would make it impossible for some of us to vote. So what would that mean in a national election?
For the sake of discussion, let's assume a terrorist attack in Miami. It doesn't matter what kind of attack, just that it be large enough, horrifying enough, or confusing enough to prevent people from voting. For the sake of the integrity of a state-wide election, voting would have to be postponed in all of Florida. Now let's assume an election scenario similar to that in 2000.
If the election is postponed in Florida but not nationwide, the entire remainder of the country will vote before Florida, and Floridians will know before they vote that at they alone will be electing the President. With stakes like that focused in a single jurisdiction, the possible reward for corruption, bribery, ballot tampering, disenfranchisement, and all sorts similar nonsense will be increased exponentially.
Consider the kind of shenanigans inspired by the 2000 election after the vote had been cast. Now imagine if the same powerful interests all arrived in Florida before anyone had voted.
At first blush, it seems that a temporary postponement would amount to "letting the terrorists win," but I believe the integrity of the process requires that the entire nation vote on the same day.
Update: Michael Williams posts that elections shouldn't be postponed, and states where voting cannot be completed should have their electoral votes assigned by its legislature.
My problem with this approach is that it focuses the potential for corruption to an even narrower point. And it does nothing to eliminate the corrupting influence described above in which a group of people vote with prior knowledge that their vote alone will (not could, mind you, but will) decide the outcome of an election.
posted by Kurt at
12:56 PM
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