On September 25, U.S. District Court Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo, an Obama appointee, ordered Texas election officials to add a straight-ticket device to the 2020 ballot. The case had been filed on August 12. Texas Alliance for Retired Americans v Hughs, s.d., 5:20cv-128. Here is the decision.
On September 26 the state asked for a stay, and also appealed to the Fifth Circuit. The state submitted affidavits from local election officials explaining that it is too late to change the ballot without great cost. Thanks to Jim Riley for the news about the state’s appeal.
Texas repealed the device in 2018, but made the change effective with the 2020 election.
Bullshit ruling by a judge looking for an excuse, IMO. Fifth Circuit will crush it Monday morning if it’s not issuing an emergency hold on the stay as I type. https://socraticgadfly.blogspot.com/2020/09/dem-stanning-judge-reinstates-straight.html
See the Donkey — Vote the Donkey — aka Donkey Vote — for illiterate Donkeys.
How many Party Logo States now — in Const or mere law ???
Mich – logo added to MI Const in 2018.
I have given some though to this matter, and have decided that, while it’s not desirable, the straight ticket is not a horrendous thing. Some voters want the convenience of a quick vote for their party’s candidates. Unfortunately, they are not likely to be persuaded otherwise. Why make these people keep the line waiting in the polling place?
If 2/3 of voters use it then it becomes impossible to raise money to wage a campaign in the general election based on ideas that has to overcome a label disadvantage. On the flip side a very small number of primary voters can decide a race for an office that has the label advantage with the result that all manner of conspiracy theorists and/or out and out criminals get into office. Without straight party voting these truly bad candidates would have an extra chance to be defeated in the general election.
ALL paper mail ballots — time galore to detect junk candidates —
ASSuming the rotted postal snail gets the ballots delivered a bit early.
One more reason to abolish the Snail Mail – typical rotted monopoly [ high cost / baaaade *service* ].
Logo votes possible in EXACT PR math system ONE candidate with each party label.
Voting power of winners = exact votes from voters
— option via candidate rank order lists of all other candidates.
—–
Logo votes much more difficult in simple Total Votes / Total Members PR system [due to possible multiple candidates with each party label].
Walter, why not have a straight-sex device? If the voter wants to vote only for women candidates, there would be a box at the top of the ballot that says, “cast my vote for all women candidates and ignore all races with no woman running.”
As expected there has been a challenge: http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=97447
Also as expected the Fifth Circuit temporarily reversed the latest ruling as it ponders the question.
https://www.texastribune.org/2020/09/28/texas-straight-ticket-voting-blocks/
Getting back to politics:
https://vimeo.com/8540988
@ Richard Winger”
Straight-identity devices on the ballot might make lines at voting places move faster. A lot of voters today like to vote party-line or identity-solidarity.
partisan– ONLY legis — PR
nonpartisan — execs/judics — AppV
both pending Condorcet– and ALL paper mail ballots.