Word: caste
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...word ballot comes from the Italian word for small ball, ballotta, evoking the bygone practice of using colored shells or beads to cast votes. (The dreaded black ball indicated a "No" vote in ancient Greece). Early American ballots, on the other hand, mostly came in the form of one's voice. Men simply shouted their choice in public, a process known as vica voce. Though it alleviated concerns of illiteracy, the method encouraged intimidation and fraud. One of the most common forms of manipulation involved plying voters with free booze. Even Thomas Jefferson let his campaign dispense liquor on Election...
...latest crop of voting innovations are not flawless either. "Direct-recording electronic" (DRE) equipment like touchscreens don't leave a verifiable paper trail. During a 2006 congressional race in Florida's 13th district, where DRE equipment is used, an astonishing 15% of voters cast their ballots for ... well, no one. According to the ballot results, some 18,000 voters hadn't registered a choice at all. That the election was determined by less than 400 votes made the lack of tangible records even more troubling. Florida Republican Governor Charlie Crist wants to scrap such machines, saying, "I get a receipt...
...Unseal voting machines. Boot up electronic voting machines and print out receipts to certify that no votes have yet been cast. Fix printer jams. Set up privacy screens for paper ballots...
Voters across the nation will head to the polls at various hours today to cast their ballots, earn their stickers and hope for the best. But each state is polling within a distinct time frame, so take a moment to consult this chart before arranging your Election Day schedule, or making the final scratch mark on your not-so-early early vote...
...This time, he did not make the same mistake. Since February 2007, as Obama pursued his presidential dream, Dunham watched her grandson on TV from her apartment. This fall, she cast her ballot for him, in early, absentee voting. And two weeks ago, for two precious days, he got to thank her in person for helping make him what he is and could...