Send your political question to Susan MacManus

Women Voters

Posted Oct 27, 2006 by Alex Vila

Updated Oct 27, 2006 at 10:36 PM

Hi Professor MacManus,
My question is about woman voters. Specifically, is it true that more men vote than women? If so, why is that? I was also wondering why you think in general that more men seem interested in politics than women?
Thanks,
Jillian

Jill:

Women actually register and vote at higher rates than men, especially here in Florida. In both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, women made up 54% of all Florida voters.

U.S. Census figures show that in every election cycle since 1980, a higher percentage of women than men has registered to vote. It is only among the oldest cohort, 65 and older, that women’s registration rates consistently lag behind men’s. Younger women (under age 44) have out-registered younger men since the 1970s. 

Women may appear to be less interested in politics than men because they are the “late deciders” when it comes to voting.  They admit they do not have the time to study up on the various candidates and amendments until right before an election due to family and work situations.

The “late decider” woman voter is the target of last minute television and radio ads, telephone calls, and direct mail, making them a key component of the critical swing vote.  One national poll has found that women make up nearly two-thirds of all swing voters.

   

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Purpose Of Straw Ballot

Posted Oct 27, 2006 by Clarisa Gerlach

Updated Oct 27, 2006 at 03:25 PM

What is the purpose of a straw ballot, such as the one proposed in Hillsborough County this year concerning sexually oriented businesses? 

Thank you,
Lindsey Baker
Brandon, FL

The non-binding/no legal effect question that Hillsborough County voters will be asked on the November 7 ballot is: “Should the local governments within the borders of Hillsborough County regulate sexually oriented businesses to the fullest extent allowed by law?”

Elected officials are increasingly using straw ballots to gauge public opinion on “hot button” issues—the ones to which voters give the most attention. Typically, these are propositions related to morality or money (taxes, spending, and borrowing). In a way, using straw ballot questions is equivalent to conducting a public opinion survey (at taxpayer expense) before making a binding decision. “Let the people decide” on controversial issues is the premise.

Some see such tactics as purely political. Use of straw ballots can be used as a “get out the vote” mechanism.  If you put a controversial-enough topic on the ballot, you may draw more people to the polls.

What creates the most chaos and political backlash is when elected officials ignore the results of these non-binding straw ballots.

 

 

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Ballot Retention Questions

Posted Oct 24, 2006 by Alex Vila

Updated Oct 24, 2006 at 10:16 AM

I notice on the ballot several names of judges with question “should they be retained in office” vote yes or no. 
Need to have this clarified
Oscar

Dear Oscar:

Glad you asked.  Many voters are confused by the retention questions on the ballot:  “Shall Justice/Judge ____ be retained in office?”  The choices are “Yes” or “No.” 

Florida, like a number of other states, chooses its appellate court-level judges and justices (Florida District Court of Appeals; Florida Supreme Court) using the merit-retention system. 

The merit-retention method of selecting justices and judges, also known as the Missouri Plan, is a hybrid system that combines appointment and election.  When a vacancy on the Florida Supreme Court (or District Court of Appeals) occurs, qualified Floridians interested in getting on the court apply to the state’s Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC).  The JNC reviews the applications, narrows the list down to from three to six names, then submits those names to the governor.  The governor then selects the new justice or judge from that list.  This is the merit portion of the selection process. 

At the next general election (but at least more than one year following the appointments), the new justice/judge’s name goes on the ballot so that the voters can decide whether the new appointee should be given a full term of office (six years for Supreme Court justices; six years for District Appellate Court judges). This is the retention portion of the selection process.

If a majority of the voters vote “No” for retaining a particular Supreme Court justice or Appellate Court judge (which has never happened yet), the nominating process starts all over again.

The merit-retention system is NOT used to elect Circuit Court and County Court judges.  Both circuit court and county judges run in nonpartisan elections.

For an excellent overview of Florida’s court system, go to www.flcourts.org

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Voter Fraud

Posted Oct 20, 2006 by Alex Vila

Updated Oct 20, 2006 at 03:46 PM

I was in the audience at the AAUW meeting Tuesday night in Bradenton and I enjoyed your presentation.  However, I thought you were too dismissive of my question about the possibility of voter fraud using the electronic machines. There is overwhelming evidence that it not only is possible, but has probably already taken place.  You said that I was entitled to my opinion.  We are all entitled to our opinions, but we are not entitled to have them be right.  I believe my opinion is based on ample evidence, and I hope you will take the time to watch this presentation on PBS.

Myra Jones
Bradenton, Florida

On Friday, October 20, 2006, the PBS weekly newsmagazine NOW
will present a special hour-long episode into the fight to keep
American elections free and fair across the country. Called
“Votes for Sale?”, the show will spotlight the Clean Elections
movement that has taken hold in Maine and Arizona as well as
talk about campaigns to win Clean Elections across the country.

“Votes for Sale?” will air Friday, October 20 on PBS stations
nationwide. Check local listings

Dear Myra:

Vote fraud is a serious concern of citizens and election officials alike.  The integrity of our election system must be protected. It is vitally important that all dimensions of our election system be vigilantly monitored by citizens like you to ensure the integrity of our democratic system.  I commend you for your interest in the issue. As was discussed at the forum, election fraud can surface at virtually every stage of the electoral process—from registration to actual balloting—and can involve both machines and people.

In Florida, absentee ballot fraud has long been a serious problem. A mayoral race in Miami was overturned by the courts due to rampant registration of ineligible (including deceased) persons. Incidents of misuse and abuse of the absentee balloting process among the elderly and the mentally disabled have been documented as well. 
Electronic voting machines, like all forms of voting equipment, can malfunction or be subject to tampering. You are quite correct that there is considerable concern about their reliability. However, to date, there has been no consensus as to electronic voting machine flaws. 

One of the best studies comparing the strengths and weaknesses of all types of election voting equipment has just been completed by the Brennan Center For Justice.  The report is titled The Machinery of Democracy: Voting System Security, Accessibility, Usability, and Cost. The report concludes:

The Brennan Center analysis finds that there is not yet any perfect voting system or set of procedures. One system might be more affordable, but less accessible to members of the disabled community; certain election procedures might make the systems easier to use, but they compromise security. Election officials and community members should be aware of the trade-offs when choosing one voting system or set of procedures over another, and they should know how to improve the system they choose.

The Brennan Center report can be accessed at:
http://www.brennancenter.org/programs/dem_vr_hava_machineryofdemocracy.html

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Negron Replaces Foley On Ballot

Posted Oct 20, 2006 by Alex Vila

Updated Oct 20, 2006 at 03:46 PM

In District 16, can the Republicans really allow Negron to be their candidate even when Mark Foley’s name is on the ballot. Legally, can the state elections office or county elections supervisor advertise that Negron is the candidate to voters?
Thanks,
Andrew

Yes, the Republican Party of Florida does have the authority to select a candidate to replace Mark Foley who withdrew from the race for the congressional District 16 seat.

Under Florida law, political parties are given the authority to choose who will be the party’s official nominee for a position. Here is how the procedure works: “In the event that death, resignation, withdrawal, removal, or any other cause or event should cause a party to have a vacancy in nomination which leaves no candidate for an office from such party, the Department of State shall notify the chair of the appropriate state, district, or county political party executive committee of such party; and within 5 days, the chair shall call a meeting of his or her executive committee to consider designation of a nominee to fill the vacancy.”  Once that happens, “The name of any person so designated shall be submitted to the Department of State within 7 days notice to the chair in order that the person designated may have his or her name on the ballot of the ensuing general election.”  Florida Statutes, 100.111(4)(a).

Florida law does not permit ballots to be reprinted showing Negron as Foley’s replacement if the candidate replacement happens after the primary election: “If the name of the new nominee is submitted after the certification of results of the preceding primary election…the ballots shall not be changed and the former party nominee’s name will appear on the ballot.”

However, there has been considerable disagreement over election officials’ legal authority to post signs advertising Negron as the official replacement. Seven of the eight county supervisors of elections had already agreed to post signs at polling places informing voters that a vote for Mark Foley is officially a vote for state Rep. Joe Negron of Stuart (the new nominee). The Florida Democratic Party filed a lawsuit claiming that such signs are not permitted under Florida election law.

On October 18, 2006, Circuit Judge Janet Ferris ruled that county supervisors of elections could not post signs at polling places informing voters. An appeal is being filed by Negron and the Florida Secretary of State arguing that it is the responsibility of election officials to properly educate voters. The supervisors who had agreed to post signs believe it is. Laws requiring them to expand and improve voter education were passed following the controversial election 2000.

One thing is certain. The Florida Legislature is likely to pass legislation next Spring that will clarify what happens in such circumstances.
Politically, all the media coverage of the sign controversy has generated massive free media for Mr. Negron and probably done as much to educate voters in Congressional District 16 about the change as signs posted at polling places.

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