How come we can elect a winner for American Idol or Top Model but we can't elect a President that way?

Question

It certainly would be cheaper than the present selection process of voting. Why can't we vote for a President that way? Ever try to vote for the best answer twice? Can't be done, because the computer or software knows you already answered so only one vote for a President would be insured. The telephone or the computer would insure a better voter turnout.

To LisaH yeah the politicians have so stated. Do you know that you are already registered as an American citizen when you fill out your income tax form, or your social security. It is the politician that can make the changes needed. Revelation I can now shop without leaving my home, the home shopping channel! Get with the times girl, everyone complains about poor voter turnout but no one is doing anything about it. Why? Because for the type of politicians today it works in their favour to do it this way!

to blackscythe 16 as if there isn't a chance of cheating in the elections of today? Florida is a good example.

to johnny j yes but you only have one social security number!

to Jan H, yes and Mary and Joseph, 2000 years ago rode a donkey to take part in a census. We send people to the moon, surely we can vote on a phone?

to kimmysue do kids under age have social security numbers? If they did are they activated for the voting process? One citizen one vote. Simple!

Revelation, you can alter an answer you have given on this site but YOU CAN NOT ANSWER TWICE!

Answer 1

There are a couple problems with that idea.

1) The federal government is a republic, not a democracy. This means that 1 person does not equal one vote, it means we elect people as a group to vote on things for us.

2)There are ways around your idea that are much easier than the safeguards in place (and presently being erroded) in the current voting system. Yes, you can only vote once for a yahoo answer, but if you have multiple accounts you can vote with each. Ditto for telephones. Protecting against this sort of fraud would cost more than what is currently being worked on.

Answer 2

There is always a way to cheat. If man can come up the system someone can break into it. I wouldn't care if the winner of American Idol cheated. I would have compassion for the person that lost unfairly. On the other hand if that were an election for President then that would be a big deal. Politicians always will find new ways to cheat because there is so much money to be made and they all want a piece of the pie. I don't know if there is a fair way to count the votes.

Answer 3

Some would still find a way to cheat. And too many are apathetic about voting for things that matter. You could set it to vote at home and have someone come in to set up the computer so all someone had to do was click and some won't vote.
People in Iraq - with their lives at stake - lined up and waited for HOURS to vote, some travelled days to get there. Here people don't vote because it rained or because Johnny has a game or because it's too hot/cold. It's just not a priority. Less than half the people get off their butts and go vote...something that I don't think anywhere I've been took more than 15 minutes (including CA). I mean it can be mailed to you so all you have to do is X the boxes and drop it in the mail...can't get any easier than curbside service...and still people don't vote.

Answer 4

Wait.... let me get this right: We would have greater voter turn out, if we could vote by phone or laptop, while sitting on our butts in front of the television???? That just might be the saddest statement on America, yet. The thing is... how many of the votes for American Idol and Top Model are kids under voting age?
And would all the American Idol and Top Model voters also vote for President? Maybe if the candidates were required to participate in a swimsuit competition (gag) or sing (shudder)...

Answer 5

A good question and a good suggestion but is it practical? What should the prospective candidates present? How do we judge what they say? Of course, as you have mentioned, there are logistical problems too. Maybe we can try 'one-man-one-vote' universal suffrage covering the entire country to elect the president, instead of the present system of primary and then elect, rather select, the president based on some electoral points from each province! Thus, the president of the so-called champion of democracy - USA - is after all not elected democratically!!!

Answer 6

Do you really want the top official to be elected by the most obsessive redialer? I'm not convinced that the system would be so infallible, what with cell phones, land lines, and payphones. Plus the most underrepresented parts of society might not have access to phones, and especially not multiple ones.

I'm all for finding a way to ALSO vote over the computer (there seem to be more tracking opportunities there), but I still have more faith in the booth than in call-ins.

Answer 7

If the US TV shows are anything like here in the uk - we are all probably very lucky that we can't vote by phone or internet - most of the people who win the shows here are those who the public sympathise with most (overweight girl, guy who comes out for the first time, guy with a speech impedement, and on the current big brother - a guy with torrets syndrome!)

The current voting system only allows one vote per person too - it's just that a majority of people are to lazy to get off the couch, possibly miss some programme on tv and go to the voting booth!

Saying that, I have heard quite a few times now that they are looking to try out phone/sms and email voting in some local elections in the future.

Answer 8

Because you have to be REGISTERED to vote. You have to get off your BUTT to vote. I'm sorry it inconveniences you so to go to your local voting location and cast your ballot.

And quite frankly, I prefer the opinions of people who actually were motivated enough to get up and vote over those that were too lazy to get to the voting booth. If you couldn't get to the polls, your opinion doesn't matter.

And obviously, there is the whole cheating thing! People in political power with millions in funds will most definitely find a way to beat the system, especially when it is as easy as an internet or phone call-in system. These people are not defined by their morality. Come on, now! This is a ridiculous idea, you have no control over who actually casts the vote, no control over cheating, and if you are suggesting that this should be a popularity contest I refer you to a basic 8th grade government class.

And to the asker, I say this in response to "get with the times": GET OFF YOUR @$$ AND VOTE IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE POLITICIANS! Just because you like to shop in your underwear doesn't mean we should change our electoral process. Times have changed and some things are more convenient. I can now shop for car insurance online. I refuse to shop for our President online. I want my ID checked on the voter registration list in person at the booth. I don't want a 14 yr. old hacker doing it for me in his mom's basement with a bag of Cheetoh's. That's my problem. If you don't like it, I don't care. Your opinion doesn't matter, because you probably don't vote.

Answer 9

Beyond all of the vapid and adelpated responses, here are some facts...

This country USED TO have votes similar to what you are describing... if you look up in your history and do some research on the web, concerning early electoral practices..., you would see that they cast their vote, and the vote stuck...

unfortunately... theres this little fiasco called the electoral college... and all of the votes pass through this ...its a way of screening and filtering the votes based on placement in the country, and who is lobbying for whom and so forth...

thats why our vote doesnt count... its the electoral college that makes the decisions---NOT US

watch V for Vendetta for further information..

( v )

Answer 10

Because the belief is that the Presidency and other elected offices are not a "popularity contest". And there's no way of keeping track of one citizen one vote. (Although Answers will tell you if you've answered a question before, so maybe through the internet...)