Elizabeth wrote:
>
> Actually, it depends on where in the USA you live! When I lived in
> Philadelphia, PA, all of the precincts used mechanical voting machines.
In
> California, the ballots are cards similiar to old-fashioned computer
> punchcards; we get little voter books to mark, then punch the
corresponding
> numbers in the card. (I think that's MUCH more complicated than the
system
> in Florida, but that's just me.) These are then counted on what I suspect
> is the last working UNIVAC in the state.
I was amazed because, if I'm not wrong, this year even voters in the Amazon
( !!!!!!! ) used machines to vote for mayors here in Brazil. I think some
areas in Rio de Janeiro had paper ballots, but in São Paulo, where I live,
everyone used voting machines. Each candidate has a number which is tapped
in. Then, their pictures, names and parties are shown and you just confirm
or not! ). Data is not sent on-line to a computer database because parties
want to have access to each voting machine in case they ask for recounting.
I think a difference between our systems is that candidates have to have
50%+1 of all valid votes ( all votes except blank ones ) to win, otherwise
there's another election for the two most voted about one month later, and
we don't have electoral colleges. I have the impression that neither Bush
nor Gore have 50% +1, do they?
Best regards,
Caio Rossi
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