[Iowa-dx] Two article from Green Institute: Hip-Hop//Party Line Voting Systems

[hhart@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu]

The Green Institute's Communications Fellow, Dr. Jared Ball, is =20
writing a series of four articles for the Green Institute on Hip-Hop =20
and the corporate music industry. Two have been written so far. They =20
are indexed at http://www.greeninstitute.net/subpages/0Intro.asp


http://www.greeninstitute.net/subpages/toste_straight_ticket.asp


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STRAIGHT TICKET VOTING

An Overview by Jeff Toste
For the Green Institute

Background

Straight-ticket or straight-party voting allows voters to make one
pull, punch, or mark in order to vote for all candidates of a single
political party. Straight-ticket voting originated to simplify the
voting process and improve voter turnout. Unfortunately, the result
of straight-ticket voting is an unfair advantage for major political
parties. For those states that have it, third-party candidates must
work to overcome difficult ballot access laws to gain straight-party
status. However, even if acquired, straight-ticket status does not
help third parties that lack name recognition. In addition,
independent candidates cannot qualify for straight-ticket status.
Many voters who lack understanding of the voting process often do not
realize they have options other than straight-ticket voting. As of
2007, only 17 states still use straight-ticket voting in some form.
It is time to eliminate straight-ticket voting as one step towards
improving our democracy.

[read the full article at
http://www.greeninstitute.net/subpages/toste_straight_ticket.asp]