Technical solution to a political problem? Unions, Caucuses, and the wisdom of crowds...

on May 2, 2008 8:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (4155) | TrackBacks (0)

Newt Gingrich's American Solutions blog has an article on the Employee Free Choice Act which would overhaul the current process that workers use to choose whether or not to unionize.

Right now, the National Labor Relations Board handles unionization elections, which take place under a secret ballot. The Employee Free Choice Act, a political hot button this Congress, would change to a "card signing" system where instead of a formal vote, if enough workers simply sign cards saying "I want a union," than *poof* there is a Union.

This reminds me of the complaints about the Caucus system, where supporters of one candidate complain of intimidation and some outright believe that it is against the principle of a secret ballot.

First I'll give my opinion, then offer a suggestion to both that could even help make General Elections more open and transparent, while keeping the secret ballot.

I am an unabashed fan of the Caucus system for a party to pick a nominee for President. Why? I have never participated in one, but to me, there is something powerful about motivating your neighbors and friends to show up and persuade each other about the merits of the candidates. Plus, the idea of having a "second choice" better reflects the way that people really think. Do I believe that caucuses better represent the will of voters in those states? You bet I do. The people who show up to caucus have to stand by their decision, and their friends and neighbors can try and convince them to join the other side. This, to me, is democracy at its' finest, practiced at the local level. I think that if we all had precinct level caucuses in the primary stage, the nomination process would involve far less money on TV ads and more effort on educating and motivating the electorate.

That being said, I am a firm believer of the Secret Ballot for the General Election. Going into the booth and making my secret choice is a sacred right.

When it comes down to the union issue, I see advantages to both systems. One reminds me of a caucus, the other is a traditional election. Can we harness the wisdom of the crowd (the caucus) into the privacy and purity of the secret ballot election?

Yes, we can.

What if you knew how the election was going when you went into the booth?

You know those new-fangled electronic voting machines? Even the ones that I prefer where you draw a line to your candidate's name and it gets scanned, then retained for a recount?

Well, network them together, and keep a running tally during election day. Hell, make it nationwide. If I can go to a Baseball game and see scores from games all over the league, can't I see how the candidates are doing as people cast their (secret) ballots?

This would take a gigantic effort on the part of the states, but think about what it would mean: you would go into the booth knowing the power of your vote. Hell, you get a SmartCard to vote with using the Diebold machines, how come you can't hold onto it and change your vote like your own Congressman can?

How about the same compromise with NLRB elections? Secret ballot, but results displayed throughout the process, and give people the technology to do more than make a snap, A or B decision.

We can harness technology to seriously change the way elections are held in this country, for the better. It's time someone started thinking outside the box (or the booth) and asking what is the best way to find out the will of the people.

If we build it, they will come.