Thanks to the 2020 election, we now have an election system that half of the country simply does not trust, and that whoever wins the ’24 election, the other half of the country will immediately challenge the election result, and we probably won’t get a clear result until St. Patrick’s Day. I propose the following, in an effort to keep things above board…
These General Orders shall apply nationwide.
General Order Zero – The ballot count is to be completed not later than 1200 on the day following the election, but as soon as practicable. It shall not be subject to undue delay. Counting shall continue for anything less than a natural disaster, or a major attack on the counting center.
General Order One – No poll watcher shall be excluded from the ballot counting area, except for due cause. Due cause shell constitute violence or threat of violence, unmonitored/unauthorized alteration of ballots, or similar egregious activity.
General Order Two – No ballot may be “cured” unless it has been examined, and the fault confirmed, by the ballot counter and poll watchers from every party present. Any alterations are to be made by the curer, in the presence of poll watchers from all parties present.
General Order Three – Ballots may only be counted by hand.
General Order Four – No counting data is to be electronically recorded for any reason until the election count is finalized and the results announced.
General Order Five – No counting data is to be sent or released to any other nation for any reason until the count is finalized and the results announced domestically
General Order Six – In order to maintain balance, an equal number of Republican and Democrat poll watchers must be present. (If a Republican poll watcher has to leave the room for whatever reason, a Democrat poll watcher must leave the room as well until he comes back; and vice versa.)
General Order Seven – Distance demarcation keeping poll watchers from ballot counters shall be the same for all parties. If one party is allowed to exceed such limits, then all parties are allowed to exceed such limits. If one party ignores such limits and is not corrected, then all parties may hold such limits in abeyance.
General Order Eight – Counting may only be halted for reasons of safety, and then only for as long as necessary to seal the count-in-progress, move the count to a new location, and resume counting. “Sealing the count” is to be done in stages, as rapidly as possible, and in the presence of, and under the signature of, poll watchers from all parties present.
General Order Nine – Method of counting:
-- Incoming ballots are collected and counted hourly at the precinct level. Sealed ballots dropped off are merely collected and tallied for quantity. Tally sheets are affixed to each bundle of open ballots, with a running total sheet kept separately. The final hour’s ballots shall have the “hour tally” sheet affixed to them, then the day’s intake bundled and the “running tally” sheet affixed to the day’s intake. These bundles are then sent up to the County level. Each hour’s intake is to be counted by two individuals, who both shall sign the tally sheet. Totals for County level and above are sent up to the County, municipal-only measures and elections may remain local
-- At County level, incoming bundles are examined for unauthorized alteration, to determine if any may require “curing,” and sealed ballots are opened and counted. Tallied bundles may be “spot-checked” for accuracy in counting. Ballots are “cured” as required (but this is hopefully not necessary.) Totals are generated, ballots are prepared and secured for storage. Original, signed total sheets are to be kept with the ballots for storage and sent up to state level for counting. Only state and federal totals need to up to the state level.
-- At State level, incoming County totals are added up and recorded. For Presidential elections, electors are selected. For Federal and state elections, candidates are notified as to the results. State-level measures are enacted or struck, as appropriate.
x
General Order Ten – Hard ballots shall be made freely available to anyone for purposes of an audit for a period not to exceed five years, but in any event not less than two years.
General Order Eleven – “Ballot dumps” are void without provenance verified, and without good reason for being late. “We found them behind a table” is not an example of “good reason.”
These General Orders are to be issued to all poll watchers and election workers present, in the form of a small, durable pocket card. “Durable” indicates either laminated paper stock or direct print onto PVC stock. This card may be up to 4”x6” in size, it must be able to fit into a pocket commonly found on clothing, so as to be readily available to all. This card may fold down to the requisite size (id est, it may be a 6”x10” card that folds down to a 3”x5” size, or a 6”x8” card that folds down to a 4”x6” size.) Such card shall fold easily and along clear delineations. It is not strictly necessary to memorise these General Orders, although it is encouraged. In any event, such card must be carried at all times when in the counting area, and should be carried whenever on duty.
These General Orders shall apply nationwide.
General Order Zero – The ballot count is to be completed not later than 1200 on the day following the election, but as soon as practicable. It shall not be subject to undue delay. Counting shall continue for anything less than a natural disaster, or a major attack on the counting center.
General Order One – No poll watcher shall be excluded from the ballot counting area, except for due cause. Due cause shell constitute violence or threat of violence, unmonitored/unauthorized alteration of ballots, or similar egregious activity.
General Order Two – No ballot may be “cured” unless it has been examined, and the fault confirmed, by the ballot counter and poll watchers from every party present. Any alterations are to be made by the curer, in the presence of poll watchers from all parties present.
General Order Three – Ballots may only be counted by hand.
General Order Four – No counting data is to be electronically recorded for any reason until the election count is finalized and the results announced.
General Order Five – No counting data is to be sent or released to any other nation for any reason until the count is finalized and the results announced domestically
General Order Six – In order to maintain balance, an equal number of Republican and Democrat poll watchers must be present. (If a Republican poll watcher has to leave the room for whatever reason, a Democrat poll watcher must leave the room as well until he comes back; and vice versa.)
General Order Seven – Distance demarcation keeping poll watchers from ballot counters shall be the same for all parties. If one party is allowed to exceed such limits, then all parties are allowed to exceed such limits. If one party ignores such limits and is not corrected, then all parties may hold such limits in abeyance.
General Order Eight – Counting may only be halted for reasons of safety, and then only for as long as necessary to seal the count-in-progress, move the count to a new location, and resume counting. “Sealing the count” is to be done in stages, as rapidly as possible, and in the presence of, and under the signature of, poll watchers from all parties present.
General Order Nine – Method of counting:
-- Incoming ballots are collected and counted hourly at the precinct level. Sealed ballots dropped off are merely collected and tallied for quantity. Tally sheets are affixed to each bundle of open ballots, with a running total sheet kept separately. The final hour’s ballots shall have the “hour tally” sheet affixed to them, then the day’s intake bundled and the “running tally” sheet affixed to the day’s intake. These bundles are then sent up to the County level. Each hour’s intake is to be counted by two individuals, who both shall sign the tally sheet. Totals for County level and above are sent up to the County, municipal-only measures and elections may remain local
-- At County level, incoming bundles are examined for unauthorized alteration, to determine if any may require “curing,” and sealed ballots are opened and counted. Tallied bundles may be “spot-checked” for accuracy in counting. Ballots are “cured” as required (but this is hopefully not necessary.) Totals are generated, ballots are prepared and secured for storage. Original, signed total sheets are to be kept with the ballots for storage and sent up to state level for counting. Only state and federal totals need to up to the state level.
-- At State level, incoming County totals are added up and recorded. For Presidential elections, electors are selected. For Federal and state elections, candidates are notified as to the results. State-level measures are enacted or struck, as appropriate.
x
General Order Ten – Hard ballots shall be made freely available to anyone for purposes of an audit for a period not to exceed five years, but in any event not less than two years.
General Order Eleven – “Ballot dumps” are void without provenance verified, and without good reason for being late. “We found them behind a table” is not an example of “good reason.”
These General Orders are to be issued to all poll watchers and election workers present, in the form of a small, durable pocket card. “Durable” indicates either laminated paper stock or direct print onto PVC stock. This card may be up to 4”x6” in size, it must be able to fit into a pocket commonly found on clothing, so as to be readily available to all. This card may fold down to the requisite size (id est, it may be a 6”x10” card that folds down to a 3”x5” size, or a 6”x8” card that folds down to a 4”x6” size.) Such card shall fold easily and along clear delineations. It is not strictly necessary to memorise these General Orders, although it is encouraged. In any event, such card must be carried at all times when in the counting area, and should be carried whenever on duty.
Discuss.
