posted on March 20, 2004 11:57:21 PM newAmerican Voters in Canada Could Have an Impact on the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election
If there's one thing the 2000 U.S. presidential election proved, it's the old adage: every vote counts. As many people remember, the results of the 2000 election were unknown for more than a month as the battleground state of Florida became too close to call.
Eventually, George W. Bush and the Republicans were declared the winners of that state (and thus the Presidency) by a mere 537 votes. The 2004 election also promises to be a close race, with several key swing states likely making the difference in the presidential race. And this is where Canada comes in.
U.S. election law permits any American citizen, living anywhere in the world, to vote in his/her last state of residence by absentee ballot. With an estimated 400,000 eligible American voters living in Canada, and given that, in the 2000 election, six U.S. states were decided by less than 7,500 votes, a healthy turnout of American voters here could make a big difference in 2004.
posted on March 21, 2004 06:41:00 PM new
But how many vote? That is the questions. I work at the polls for the elections and maybe just maybe we get 15% of the vote and all voters live around the polling places. Very few absentees are counted maybe 10 or so. I know during a major election there is more but not that many maybe 50% and thats a tragedy as it is in everyone's interest to vote whether Democrate or Republican. The people that move south for the winter season have a choice where they want to vote. I guess asking for an absentee ballot is difficult but voting seemed to be more difficult for them. The cities are not going to send absentee ballots you have to write for them yourself and then make sure they are in on time.
