The Texas 2-Step

Lisa and I participated in the “Texas 2-Step” last week. Down here in Texas, we get to vote twice. Texas also has this great idea called “early voting” where you have two weeks before Election Day to cast your vote at ANY early voting site (not necessarily your regular polling place). Therefore, in Texas, if you cannot find the time or place to vote at least once...you should be horsewhipped!

First, we voted in the Texas Primary. Since we voted early and our polling place was at our local library (in walking distance from our house), voting was a breeze...no lines...in and out. We used touch screen voting machines that let you review and change any of your choices before it is submitted electronically. My only problem is that there is no paper ballot created in case of a challenge or a recount. I have to have faith that my vote really does count and that it cannot be altered or lost, but that is a whole other issue. What amazed me was that despite having two weeks to cast their votes, many Texans waited until the last minute to vote on Election Day. Because of the huge interest in the Democratic Party race, there were long lines at the polling places and people were complaining about having to stand in line. Some left and did not vote out of frustration. Well, hello people! You had two weeks to vote!

Second, we learned that not all of the Texas delegates would be chosen by voting in the primary. Texas also has a caucus system after the polls close on Election Day. The caucuses choose 1/3 of the total state delegates. Apparently, it is a holdover compromise when Texas went to the primary system 20 years ago. Texans do not give up their old ways easily, especially when it comes to politics.

Lisa and I arrived at our polling place around 7 pm just as the polls were closing. Because so many people turned out, there was a long line out the door and into the library parking lot. By law, anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote and the caucuses cannot begin until the last person votes. We made our way through the line of people still waiting to vote in the primary and into the caucus crowd gathering in the Children’s Section of the library. We looked for our precinct number on one of several tables and stood with others already gathered there. It was pretty much wall-to-wall people and very noisy. Any Republicans were invited to attend their own caucus at the other end of the library. Volunteers circulated and called out for anyone who was willing to help fill out forms and verify identification at each precinct table. It was hard to hear what was going on and it took a while to get enough people to help.

Finally, sometime after 8 pm, we were told that the last person had voted and that the caucus could begin. We were told to form lines and approach our precinct tables in an orderly manner, but there were so many people that lines were hard to discern. Eventually, we approached our table and produced our driver’s licenses and voter registration cards. Once our information was checked, we were allowed to fill out the next line on the multi-line form. You could see everyone’s name, address, phone number and his or her candidate’s choice before yours on the large sheet. So much for privacy! We finally made our way out of the library around 9 pm after two hours of being on our feet. Some caucuses at other locations finished even later with far more confusion and even a few fistfights according to the news. It was an interesting process, but I am not sure I would participate again.

The next morning, we learned that Hillary had just barely won the primary, but that Obama looked as if he might win the caucus vote and take the majority of the total delegate count for the state. The caucus votes will not be officially determined until the State Democratic Convention in June. All I can say is... what a system! The news media was excitedly reporting that this election exceeded all expectations and that the Texas vote had been a “record” turnout. The last I heard the statewide voter turnout was around 33% of all the registered voters. So that was the Texas 2-Step.

Looking at this whole party primary/caucus delegate selection process nationwide and state-by-state, I have to wonder...what the hell is going on! The Republicans have winner take all states and the Democrats choose delegates proportional to the popular vote. Some states have caucuses, some have primaries and some (Texas)...have both. Two states have been stripped of their Democratic delegates because they violated party rules by moving their election dates ahead of other states to gain more influence on candidate selection. Now how can you hold a national convention and not allow delegates from two of the 50 states of the union to be seated? If you do allow them to be seated, Hillary’s name was the only name remaining on the ballot in Michigan, while both their names were on the Florida ballot. The other candidates removed their names per National Democratic Party rules. (Why was THAT allowed to happen?) What a giant mess!

A lot of this “political monkey business” could be avoided if we had a National Primary Vote on one day (or each party could choose another day of their own, if they wish to foot the cost of two separate elections). We would have a larger choice of candidates to vote for and spend far less time and money on a primary campaign where the perceived front-runner receives the flow of cash to keep their campaigns running and bankrupts others. Our current system virtually assures that the candidate with the most cash wins. The cost of each successive election is skyrocketing such that only the wealthy and the politically well connected can hope to hold office and govern.

Does America have the guts to make the changes needed to insure that we have a government OF the people, BY the people and FOR the people? I wonder. Perhaps we need more than 33% of the registered voters to participate.

FOOD for THOUGHT...