Dutch dump DRE voting for paper ballots

[formercia]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6172552.stm

Dutch bewildered by poll options
By Sam Wilson
BBC News, Amsterdam

With 24 parties and hundreds of individual candidates on each ballot paper, it is no wonder that so many Dutch people have left it to the last minute to decide who to vote for.

Those arriving early on Wednesday morning, as the odd patch of blue began to emerge from the drizzly skies, were probably among the more resolute.

"I've always voted left of centre," said publisher Wouter Van Oorschot. "I voted PvdA today as I want to get rid of this right-wing government. They are a Christian-led government and therefore unreliable."

Others cited the Iraq war, integration and immigration, the welfare system, the economy and business regulation as factors influencing their vote.

[marmar]

1. How do I love the Netherlands?....Let me count the ways.

That country in so many ways represents my idealized version of society. Sigh. :loveya:

[Vidar]

3. Mine too.

[formercia]

2. Behind the scenes..

Dyngeman Coumou and his team were also rather excited by the cake that was delivered to them first thing, courtesy of a bunch of "computer freaks".

The electronics wizards had demonstrated that the automatic voting machines due to be used were unreliable, as people with special equipment outside the building would be able to tell which votes were being registered.

The system had therefore been abandoned in favour of red pencils in some polling stations and huge (about 80cm x 50cm or 31 inches x 20 inches) ballot papers.

The cake was their way of apologising.

[Judi Lynn]

4. It sounds great. I have one question about paper ballots in general.

If this country went to paper ballots, isn't it also possible the party obsessed with seizing power permanently could also find ways to control who was chosen to do the counting?

I would think they could have their people joining the Democratic Party in order to volunteer for vote counting in order to make it appear there was an even number of both parties involved.

I'm really down about our chances of ever seeing honest voting, ever again in this country, after learning how damned far the Republicans are willing to go to control electronic voting. They've already shown their intentions, haven't they?

Congratulations, and good luck to the Dutch, at any rate. It DOES sound like progress. It seems the simplest should also be the most truthful.