Interesting TN primary election aside

[gounion]

I'm quite involved in our county election commission. We are a red county in a red state, but I'm impressed with how our county handles voting. Of course, I guess it's easy to be fair when you know you're going to win by a lot. Would things be as fair if we were deeply purple? Who knows.

I'm especially impressed with the MicroVote Infinity with VVPAT machines. Solid usability and paper trial. The state is promoting that they are ranked #1 in the country for election integrity. I don't know who ranks them or anything about it, but I guess it sounds good. https://sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com/s3fs ... egrity.pdf

Here's a video of the machines, if you're interested.

This year, among other things, I'm the election officer for my voting precinct (though you can vote at any election location in the county), and my wife is working as a registrar. If you are able, I highly recommend working as an election worker if you can. It's a great patriotic thing to do. We have three elections this cycle, one primary in March, another in August and the general election in November.

I also get to drive a u-haul around picking up voting machines and materials the day after the election.

But we're getting ready right now for March 5th, as we are one of the states that votes on Super Tuesday. ALL of the former GOP Presidential candidates are still on the ballot, including two I hadn't even heard of, Ryan Binkley and David Stuckinberg.

We also have delegates for the Presidential candidates on the ballot. We are voting for 14 statewide, and 3 in each congressional district. This is an explanation. https://sos.tn.gov/elections/guides/qua ... -delegates

The thing that I find interesting is that only three candidates, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley and Donald J. Trump, have delegates running in this election. None of the other candidates bothered to do so.

Now, getting delegates and other things lined up state by state is consumes a lot of time, money and manpower. It's something you have to start doing early on. They have to file in Tennessee no later than Dec. 14th.

So, why are they the only candidates to file? I honestly don't know, but to me, that says only DeSantis, Haley and Trump were actually serious about trying to win the primary, and had the drive and the money to make it happen. Now, I'd love to have been around in 2016 to see if Donald Trump had delegates back then. I bet not.

But it says to me that Viveck Ramaswami and Chris Christie both knew that this was all a stunt, and that they wouldn't last out of January.

I love working the elections, and these bits of minutiae just fascinate me. It's always fun being on the inside.

[Glennfs]

Our process is confusing and a throwback to the days prior to computers, cell phones, internet etc.

We would be much better served if we streamlined and updated the primary and delegate process.

[gounion]

Our process is confusing and a throwback to the days prior to computers, cell phones, internet etc.

We would be much better served if we streamlined and updated the primary and delegate process.

Wow, you don't have any idea of the actual history of elections. It's not confusing if you haven't taken a government 101 class.

And you don't understand that our Constitution gives the states the duty of running their own elections.

[JoeMemphis]

Wow, you don't have any idea of the actual history of elections. It's not confusing if you haven't taken a government 101 class.

And you don't understand that our Constitution gives the states the duty of running their own elections.

I think Glenn was agreeing with you and you attacked him for it. What’s up with that?

[gounion]

I think Glenn was agreeing with you and you attacked him for it. What’s up with that?

I don't see anything wrong with our process in Tennessee. It's interesting, that's all. If I misunderstood Glenn, I apologize.

My point - as far a the delegates are concerned - is that only three candidates seem to actually be interested in getting enough delegates to win the nomination.

[Glennfs]

I don't see anything wrong with our process in Tennessee. It's interesting, that's all. If I misunderstood Glenn, I apologize.

My point - as far a the delegates are concerned - is that only three candidates seem to actually be interested in getting enough delegates to win the nomination.

I was thinking about our national process. Some caucus some primary spread out way to long

The last states to go mean nothing most of the time.

Those who win a couple of early states are crowned the winner by the press. Which I believe suppresses the vote.

I would like to see it all done over a 2 to 4 week period. The conspiracy theory in me thinks that decades ago our current system was embraced by newspapers in order to increase circulation.

[gounion]

I was thinking about our national process. Some caucus some primary spread out way to long

The last states to go mean nothing most of the time.

Those who win a couple of early states are crowned the winner by the press. Which I believe suppresses the vote.

I would like to see it all done over a 2 to 4 week period. The conspiracy theory in me thinks that decades ago our current system was embraced by newspapers in order to increase circulation.

Well, the Constitution says that the states make their own decisions.

And let's be clear: There's nothing mandating primaries. That's a recent thing. It used to be that the parties chose then candidates at the convention. There were no primaries.

Remember, in the end, parties are private organizations, and they can do things how they want. Say Trump is convicted, and his polling goes through the floor as MAGAites realize their hero really is the most corrupt man ever to hold the office. The party can remove him and replace him with anyone they want.

[JoeMemphis]

I don't see anything wrong with our process in Tennessee. It's interesting, that's all. If I misunderstood Glenn, I apologize.

My point - as far a the delegates are concerned - is that only three candidates seem to actually be interested in getting enough delegates to win the nomination.

I haven’t heard of any irregularities in TN or Shelby County in the 35 years I lived there. I’m all in favor of using technology within certain limits to streamline voting and vote counting and to improve confidence in the integrity of our election.

[Number6]

I was thinking about our national process. Some caucus some primary spread out way to long

The last states to go mean nothing most of the time.

Those who win a couple of early states are crowned the winner by the press. Which I believe suppresses the vote.

I would like to see it all done over a 2 to 4 week period. The conspiracy theory in me thinks that decades ago our current system was embraced by newspapers in order to increase circulation.

The states control the elections while the political parties determine if they want a caucus, a primary, or a combination of both. I don't care for the idea of having it done over a 2 to 4 week period. By having it stretched over a couple of months it give the voters a better opportunity to learn the candidates positions on issues. A short primary season means the candidates with the best name recognition or image would do best.

[gounion]

I haven’t heard of any irregularities in TN or Shelby County in the 35 years I lived there. I’m all in favor of using technology within certain limits to streamline voting and vote counting and to improve confidence in the integrity of our election.

Well, you don’t ever pay attention either. So who knows.

But I did find out who the survey was from that made them #1 - It was the Heritage Foundation, and they didn’t link to it. So it means nothing.

But again, I am pretty impressed with the system, and certainly how our county runs things.

[JoeMemphis]

Well, you don’t ever pay attention either. So who knows.

But I did find out who the survey was from that made them #1 - It was the Heritage Foundation, and they didn’t link to it. So it means nothing.

But again, I am pretty impressed with the system, and certainly how our county runs things.

Again with the snark even when it’s unwarranted.

[gounion]

Again with the snark even when it’s unwarranted.

You’re the one that prides himself on ignorance as to what’s happening in the world. Just pointing that out.

[JoeMemphis]

You’re the one that prides himself on ignorance as to what’s happening in the world. Just pointing that out.

Ah so from snark to insults.

[gounion]

Ah so from snark to insults.

What insult? That’s what YOU say about yourself.

[JoeMemphis]

What insult? That’s what YOU say about yourself.

No. That’s what YOU say. But that’s okay. I realize you can’t help yourself. Hopefully you will figure it out.

[gounion]

No. That’s what YOU say. But that’s okay. I realize you can’t help yourself. Hopefully you will figure it out.

No, you’ve bragged you don’t pay any attention to the news, and when we talk issues, you always brag that you are ignorant of what is happening.

[bradman]

No. That’s what YOU say. But that’s okay. I realize you can’t help yourself. Hopefully you will figure it out.

And someone recently accused me of being a bit rich.

[JoeMemphis]

No, you’ve bragged you don’t pay any attention to the news, and when we talk issues, you always brag that you are ignorant of what is happening.

I didn’t “brag” about any such thing. I’m just not in the habit of opining on something without all the facts. I will leave that to you.

[JoeMemphis]

And someone recently accused me of being a bit rich.

I’m not sure about the conversation to which you reference but I’m sure it was well deserved.

[bradman]

I’m not sure about the conversation to which you reference but I’m sure it was well deserved.

Can't remember for sure but it, perhaps, had something to do with trying to understand the gist of it.

Your forest our mine so to speak.

[gounion]

I didn’t “brag” about any such thing. I’m just not in the habit of opining on something without all the facts. I will leave that to you.

You just always play a passive/aggressive game, and you never want to take a stance and defend it.

[Glennfs]

No, you’ve bragged you don’t pay any attention to the news, and when we talk issues, you always brag that you are ignorant of what is happening.

What difference does it make if you follow the news or not. Seeing how you are going to parrot whatever the democratic party says or does.

[JoeMemphis]

You just always play a passive/aggressive game, and you never want to take a stance and defend it.

I take stances all the time and defend them. You just can’t rebut them. Thus the “false equivalency” bullshit.

[gounion]

I take stances all the time and defend them. You just can’t rebut them. Thus the “false equivalency” bullshit.

No, you don’t. We all know it.

[JoeMemphis]

No, you don’t. We all know it.

Oh you know it. You just get repeating the same bullshit. You don’t consider anything contrary to your beliefs as a stance. And you ignore it. half the time you can’t say what you think. You spend most of your time putting words in other peoples mouth. Speak for yourself.