Thoughts on election reform

tadcan

These are just my own crackpot ideas.

At 18 everybody is put on the register. They are sent letter explaining our electoral system. The form is to take themselves off the register.
All citizens regardless of birth place, ie those born as non-nationals can vote in all elections. All European residents over 5 years can vote in all elections. Advertising campaign public meetings in areas with people not born in Ireland to get them on register.

Voting happens on the weekend so most people are at home. Or a system of proxy voting, to allow Students or those traveling to vote away from home by post.

Electoral commission/ombudsman investigates a random selection of people removed from from list. They also investigate complainst from the public of dual registration, etc.

Voting machine linked with each other over the phone line. (virtual private network) The votes from each room are collected with digital signatures rolling into the collected results for that station, for that area, then collected for the country. That means that each batch is traceable back to the source. The machine also prints out votes for ballot box, which is placed as normal for hand count to check the results.

Houses given postcode which are matched to PPS numbers inside to reduce double entries.

Personal Opinion...
The president has no power.
Seanned with no power.
Dail with whip system, no personal objections are allowed.
Too many county councilors reduce their effectiveness giving TD's to much power in local matters.
The current system is criticized for having to many TD's for our population. Some also say that the current PR system should be changed becuase it gives a slight benefit lower candidates who receive less votes. I see it as being the one place an effective opposition exists. So if the amount of TD's is reduced other checks and balances need to be put in place.

Victor

tadcan wrote: »

All European residents over 5 years can vote in all elections.

Do you mean European citizens resident in Ireland? Many of those can vote in their own countries. Why should they get two votes?

Or a system of proxy voting

Do you mean Jonny Radical can vote for all his mates?

Voting machine linked with each other over the phone line. (virtual private network) The votes from each room are collected with digital signatures rolling into the collected results for that station, for that area, then collected for the country. That means that each batch is traceable back to the source. The machine also prints out votes for ballot box, which is placed as normal for hand count to check the results.
Houses given postcode which are matched to PPS numbers inside to reduce double entries.

So, the votes can be traced back to individuals and they can then be fired if they vote the wrong way?

Too many county councilors reduce their effectiveness giving TD's to much power in local matters.

I think that would only give pwer to individual councillors, not to local government. Reduce the number of TDs such that it becomes impossible for them to write to individuals about potholes and give councils their own tax income - that would be a real transfer of power.

tadcan

Victor wrote: »

Do you mean European citizens resident in Ireland? Many of those can vote in their own countries. Why should they get two votes?

It would be fairer to give people a say in the place they live.

Victor wrote: »

Do you mean Jonny Radical can vote for all his mates?

No you can vote by post or in advance. Proxy was a bad choice of word.

Victor wrote: »

So, the votes can be traced back to individuals and they can then be fired if they vote the wrong way?

So, the votes can be traced back to individuals and they can then be fired if they vote the wrong way?
There is no connection to the voter, since the person just goes to the machine and presses the screen. Each booth has what? 200-500 voters. Each machine would bundle a block of votes and sign it off with a signature. The tracing happens for each block, to stop fraudulent insertion of votes. So we know there is 5000 machines, each made a block of 200 votes. All the numbers would add up.

Victor wrote: »

I think that would only give pwer to individual councillors, not to local government. Reduce the number of TDs such that it becomes impossible for them to write to individuals about potholes and give councils their own tax income - that would be a real transfer of power.

If you reduce the number of TD's there is less opposition, increasing the chance of majority government and the power of the Taoiseach. So at the same time give the Seaned more power. Or take away the whip system to allow TD's to have express a personal conviction. How would more power in councillors hands not equal a stronger local government, would they not go hand in hand.

Victor

tadcan wrote: »

Victor wrote: »

So, the votes can be traced back to individuals and they can then be fired if they vote the wrong way?
There is no connection to the voter, since the person just goes to the machine and presses the screen. Each booth has what? 200-500 voters. Each machine would bundle a block of votes and sign it off with a signature. The tracing happens for each block, to stop fraudulent insertion of votes. So we know there is 5000 machines, each made a block of 200 votes. All the numbers would add up.

Can you fix this quote? You are assigning your comments to me that I didn't make.

It would be fairer to give people a say in the place they live.

Let them become citizens.

No you can vote by post or in advance.

There are concern with this that it can be manipulated.

If you reduce the number of TD's there is less opposition

But also fewer government members, thereby not affecting the overall balance of power.

Or take away the whip system to allow TD's to have express a personal conviction.

If a TD wants to express a personal conviction, they can leave the whip system. Swings and roundabouts.

How would more power in councillors hands not equal a stronger local government, would they not go hand in hand.

I can only assume when you said "Too many county councilors reduce their effectiveness giving TD's to much power in local matters." That you were suggesting a reduction in the number of councillors. That would concentrate existing councillor power in fewer hands, but would not give the local government system any more power.

Jimoslimos

tadcan wrote: »

Or take away the whip system to allow TD's to have express a personal conviction.

oh like the US system where individual congressmen and senators are subject to massive influence from whichever lobby group has funded them?

tadcan wrote: »

How would more power in councillors hands not equal a stronger local government, would they not go hand in hand.

TBH I have serious reservations about investing any more power to local councils. For all the governments' many many faults I'm of the belief that the vast majority of corruption in this country is at a local level, by gombeens and party hacks too thick to even appeal to a slightly wider electorate. Believe it or not TDs are actually the cream of the crop:(

tadcan

Victor wrote: »

Let them become citizens.

British citizens can already vote in European, national and local elections, EU citizens can vote in local and European elections. They can do so if registered from the 1st of September. The five years would delay that, but give them full voting rights.

Victor wrote: »

There are concern with this that it can be manipulated.

It happens in other countries, and its possible here for members of the Irish government to vote from abroad. It also stops the set the vote on Thursday to reduce the amount of student voters. Alternatively like in Germany and election must be on a sunday. We need a better way to manage the voting list, but its not impossible.

Victor wrote: »

But also fewer government mebers, thereby not affecting the overall balance of power.

But with fewer independents and TD's from smaller parties, the government would reflect a narrower range of puublic opinion.

Victor wrote: »

If a TD wants to express a personal conviction, they can leave the whip system. Swings and roundabouts.

I wasn't aware they could.

Victor wrote: »

I can only assume when you said "Too many county councilors reduce their effectiveness giving TD's to much power in local matters." That you were suggesting a reduction in the number of councillors. That would concentrate existing councillor power in fewer hands, but would not give the local government system any more power.

Yes, I was tired. What is the benifit of having many weak councillers. Isn't the point of government to get things done.

Jimoslimos wrote: »

oh like the US system where individual congressmen and senators are subject to massive influence from whichever lobby group has funded them?

Whereas now the Dail is almost empty during many debates because its all just a forgone conclusion. It seems to me the system could use more checks and balances.

Jimoslimos wrote: »

TBH I have serious reservations about investing any more power to local councils. For all the governments' many many faults I'm of the belief that the vast majority of corruption in this country is at a local level, by gombeens and party hacks too thick to even appeal to a slightly wider electorate. Believe it or not TDs are actually the cream of the crop:(

I get thats it better the devil you know, but we can't find better solutions if we don't look at alternatives. Maybe its the current set-up that is partly responsible for the mess we are in.