Updated: November 5, 2020 11:15:01 am
A man carries the American flag while placing candles over the words “Count Every Vote” marked in chalk on the pavement during a rally at Dallas City Hall demanding that all votes be counted as the result of the presidential race approaches. on Wednesday, November 16. February 4, 2020 in Dallas. (Smiley N. Pool / The Dallas Morning News via AP)
Since the US election verdict remains inconclusive with key oscillation states Still counting the votes individually, we take a look at how the oldest democracy in the world counts its votes and the reason behind the delay in results.
So how are elections monitored in the United States?
In the US, all elections, federal, state and local, are organized directly by the governing governments of the individual states. According to the White House website, the U.S. Constitution and laws give states wide flexibility in how they administer elections, resulting in different rules across the country.
In many US states, the responsibility for conducting elections rests with the state secretary of state, a politician who in some states is directly elected and in others appointed by the state governor.
How is the electoral process different from that of India?
In India, the Constitution under section 324 establishes an independent Election Commission for rulemaking which is independent from the executive in government. Established in 1950, it has the responsibility of conducting elections in the offices of the President and Vice President of India, the parliament and state assemblies and legislative councils.
In India, ICE was conceived as an apolitical body, a key priority of the country’s founding leaders. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, when presenting Article 324 in the Constituent Assembly on June 15, 1949, said that “the entire electoral machinery should be in the hands of a Central Electoral Commission, which would be the only one that would have the right to issue directives for tellers and voting officials and others “.
Thus, US states vary widely when it comes to key electoral practices, such as vote counting, mail-in voting, and electing constituencies. Often times, individual states are accused of providing an unfair advantage to a political party through practices such as gerrymandering. During the Jim Crow era (late 19th and early 20th centuries), the southern states of the United States actively disenfranchised black people, a practice that was largely stopped by the Voting Rights Act of the United States. 1965.
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Why the vote counting in the 2020 elections is taking time
Although most states in the US allow electronic methods, ballot papers are the norm across the country. Before the count comes a stage called processing, which involves verifying signatures, verifying documentation, and perhaps even scanning the ballots. The vote counting is a separate and subsequent process.
Each state has its own date to begin voting in person or by mail, the deadline for receiving ballots by mail, processing the ballots, and tabulating the votes. 📣 Express Explained is now on Telegram
To take two examples: in Arizona, mail-in ballots began on October 7, they were accepted through Election Day, and the counting began on October 20; in Ohio, processing began October 6, mail ballots can be received through November 13, but must be postmarked by November 2 and counting must begin on November 3.
As the count entered its third day in the United States, Indians on social media expressed their admiration for the Election Commission of India, attempting to make a comparison between the two nations, although the processes are quite different.
The American elections are near. But the Indian elections win without hesitation. Better analysis, much better predictions, use of first-class technology and a professional and efficient Election Commission.
– Amitabh Kant (@ amitabhk87) November 4, 2020
Former Union Minister Milind Deora tweeted, saying: “We Indians should be proud of our Election Commission for overseeing 650 parties, 8,000 candidates and 603 million voters in 2019!”
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