V&E # 18Election Scandals &

Improvements

Remember – test is tomorrow!

Political Mess (1800s) • Political Machines: politicians who

set up an organized system of winning elections– In exchange for favors (jobs, food) ppl

would vote for these party bosses –Ballots were a different color – so they

knew who ppl were voting for

– “Vote early, vote often” : ppl voted more than once

Tweed-le-dee and Tilden-dumA Harper's Weekly cartoon depicts Tweed as a police officer saying to two boys, "If all the people want is to have somebody arrested, I'll have you plunderers convicted. You will be allowed to escape, nobody will be hurt, and then Tilden will go to the White House and I to Albany as Governor."

Progressives

• Progressives: a political group designed to “clean up” the urban areas, especially in the area of election fraud–Australian ballot : secret ballot

(same size, same color)–Primary Elections: ppl choose their

party’s nominee (before – party picked)

In California - • Initiative: voters can get their ideas on

the state’s ballot through the petition process (signatures from registered voters)–Ex: Sex Offenders, Raising cigarette

taxes, same sex marriage• Recall: voters can recall (kick out) state

elected officials –Gray Davis ---- Arnold

Current Controversies• 2000 Election:

–Return of voter fraud?

–Florida: punch card ballots

• Hanging Chad

• Pregnant Chad

• Were the voters heard accurately?

Should we go to electronic voting?

• Adv:

• Dis: