What Electoral reforms would you like to see in the US?

(Asked on Quora)

If we learn anything from Election 2020 it  is that there is an extremely urgent need for ELECTORAL SYSTEM reform although I am not convinced that these will be carried out. There are too many entrenched players and political actors who benefit from the broken structure as it is.

These reforms are

• Abolition of Mail In Voting with the exception for residents who are out-of-state on the day of the election. Large scale mail-in voting at the level we just saw in the United States is easily subject to abuse. This is the reason why it is shunned in almost all (if not every) Western democracies

• Extension of the early voting-in-person period to mitigate against long lineups on election day and concerns regarding overcrowding

• Establishment of a National Election Board (this exists in Canada and it works) to ensure standardized procedure for ballots cast for national level positions (President, US Senate + National House of Representatives). The Board should include representatives from both major parties plus an independent voice. Elected positions for State positions should be handled by the state as they see fit (this is a state sovereignty issue)

• A blackout on calling election results until all polls have closed nationally (with the possible exception of Hawaii for time delay issues)

• Better transparency in counting. Each voting precinct should give free and open access to observers from both major parties plus an independent to check for irregularities

• When voting a valid photo ID should be required

• A thorough audit of voting machines should be carried out before the elections and checked off by Independent observers to ensure that they have not been compromised.

Now here is the kicker. Electoral reform should benefit both sides of the political equation. It may not seem so at the time but I would urge caution in allowing your confirmation bias to run roughshod over better judgement.

Remember in a poll taken only weeks BEFORE THE ELECTION both sides expressed significant scepticism with respect to the integrity of the forthcoming election.. Just one third of Americans think the election will be free and fair: Poll

From the article: A 47 percent plurality of Democrats thought there would be a fair election, with 31 percent saying there would not and 22 percent responding that they were unsure. Among Republican voters, 48 percent said it would not be free and fair, 28 percent said it would and 25 percent were unsure.

These numbers changed significantly after the election. https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article247121139.html

Entering office with a strong air of legitimacy is big plus especially in a political environment fraught with division. Poor electoral practices can cut both ways. Remember it wasn’t long ago when Stacey Adams insisted with very little evidence that the Georgia Gubernatorial race was stolen from her. It wasn’t of course but it was clear to many that there were deficiencies in the system

Electoral reform ought to be a win-win situation for both sides unless one has something to hide. Now there wouldn’t been any of that would there?

Source: Mark Parisi