An election system that puts voters (not politicians) first | Amber McReynolds

Transcriber:

翻译人员: Abby ZONG 校对人员: suya f.

选举可以是很困难的 从过去来看，也确实如此

有时令人痛苦，有时无法抉择

从我们的民主诞生以来就是这样

Voting can be hard.

今年和过去几年

It's been hard,

我们见证了排队等待了五个小时， 六个小时甚至七个小时的选民们

sometimes painful, sometimes impossible,

since the very beginning of our democracy.

这个问题至今仍未解决

This year and years prior,

we've seen voters wait in line for five, six and seven hours.

有的人可能看见这些图景后会想

真是爱国啊，真是震撼啊

And the issue hasn't been fixed.

竟然有人只是为了投选票， 排了整整七小时的队

Now, some people may see these images and think, "How patriotic.

但是对我来说，这一点也不震撼

How impressive that someone would wait in line for seven hours

这样是对那些选民的不尊重

just to vote."

让选举变的困难， 和民主的核心背道而驰

But to me, it's not impressive at all.

It's disrespectful to these voters.

如果我们能将体系重新设计得

更方便、更可理解、更简单

Making voting difficult goes against the very core of our democracy.

为什么不呢

If we could redesign the system to make it more convenient,

简单来说，是政治意愿

more accessible and easier for voters, why wouldn't we?

很多确立的政客们自身并不会受利于

这个囊括了所有选民的新投票过程

Now, the short answer is: political will.

Many established politicians would not actually benefit personally

政客们也是此游戏的选手之一

但他们是那些为游戏制定规则的人

from a reformed voting process that's inclusive for all voters.

选举政策必须包括 谁投了票，而不是谁赢了

Politicians are the players in the game,

更复杂的答案是

but yet they set the rules for the game.

我们美国的投票和选举系统

Election policy must be about who votes, not who wins.

是高度分散管理和前后不一致的

And the more complicated answer

这个过程是由超过10,000个 不同的当地选举官员管理的

is that our voting system and election system in the United States

is highly decentralized and inconsistent.

他们来自全国的 各个城市、城镇以及郡县

Over 10,000 different local election officials administer this process

所面对的投票者数量， 四百到四百七十万不等

in cities and towns and counties across the country.

还有50个不同的州立法机关

在为这个游戏制定着规则

They might vary in size from 400 voters to 4.7 million.

并且，超过50个不同 的总选举官员和实体

There's also 50 different state legislative bodies

在监督着他们所制定出 的规则以及他们是如何执行的

that set the rules of the game,

所以，州与州之间 的投票有很大的差异

and over 50 different chief election officials and entities

最佳设想是

that oversee those rules and how they're administered.

你在一个像科罗拉多一样的州

So voting may vary greatly from state to state.

在每次选举之前， 选票会提前邮给你

Best-case scenario,

不受官僚主义的影响

you're in a state like Colorado,

也没有多余的文案工作

and a ballot is mailed to you proactively

选票就这样来了

而政府则负责为你实现民主

before each and every election.

No bureaucracy,

no extra paperwork.

最坏的设想则是， 你所在州类似密苏里州

The ballot comes,

and the government is responsible for delivering democracy to you.

在这里，选项被限制着

选民被过分限制了登记的截止日期

Worst-case scenario, you're in a state like Missouri,

如果你不能下班

where your options are limited,

或者没有在照顾孩子

you have overly restrictive voter registration deadlines.

再或者你生病了

那就是太糟糕的情况了

And if you can't get off work

美国的多数投票者 都没能拥有所说的最佳设想

or you don't have childcare

or you're sick,

that's too bad.

我作为选举官员工作很多年了

And most American voters don't fall into the best-case scenario.

现在正在家庭研究 所指挥领导全国选举

我们的工作是改善 美国国内的选举过程

Now, in my career as an elections official for many years,

我曾跟上千的投票者 聊过他们的投票感受

and now leading the National Vote at Home Institute

曾跟上千的选举官员聊过选举的过程

and our work to improve the voting process

across the United States,

I've talked to thousands of voters about their voting experience

同时我也联合编撰过一本书， 名为《当女性参与选举》

给所有人提供了一份关于如何 全面改善选举过程的公路地图和剧本

and thousands of election officials about the process.

I also coauthored a book called "When Women Vote,"

所以我想问

你会选择什么

that outlines a road map and a playbook

你会选择哪种设想

for how to improve the process for all.

2016届选举正被高度关注着

And so I ask you:

What would you choose?

这是美国历史上参与数最多的选举

Which scenario would you choose?

Now, the 2016 election was the most highly watched,

但是，实际上只有60% 符合条件的美国人投了票

most anticipated election in US history.

而超过1亿的人并没有 投出2016的选票

And yet,

only 60 percent of eligible Americans actually voted.

当这些没有投票的人被问起原因时

Over 100 million people

超过四成的人指出是因为 以下几个障碍，例如：

did not vote in 2016.

错过了截止日期

And when they were surveyed as to why,

没有办法下班

不想为投票排几个小时的队

over 40 percent indicated it was due to a barrier:

如果“没有投票”选项 出现在2016年的选票上

missing a deadline,

“没有投票”就会取得压倒式胜利

couldn't get off work,

couldn't wait in line for hours.

最终我们得到的会这样的一个系统

If "did not vote" was on the ballot in 2016,

由少数合格美国人选出 能为所有人共同作出决定的政治家们

"did not vote" would have won in a landslide.

What we end up with is a system where a minority of eligible Americans

大家对美国政府以及政客们 的信任一起以来都非常低

are choosing the politicians that make decisions for all of us collectively.

投票箱也并未起到作用

如果我们不能简单的投出选票

Trust in the US government and politicians is at an all-time low,

我们怎能信任投票过程， 信任政客们呢

and the ballot box isn't helping.

我们必须把选民们放在首位

If we can't even cast a vote easily,

我要再强调一次

why would we ever trust the process

我们必须在选举政策中 把选民们放在首位

or trust politicians?

We must put voters first.

并且设计出为他们服务的系统

I'll say that again.

We must put voters first in election policies

就从任意一个成功的生意说起

我们现在生活在的时代

and designing a system that serves them.

有着当天航运， 免费配送，来福和优步车

还有打包回家的鸡尾酒

Just ask any successful business.

消费者们，尤其是疫情盛行期间

We live in an era of same-day shipping, free delivery,

会选择根据在家的舒适度 或者他们的日程安排调整选择

Lyft and Uber

and take-home cocktails.

And consumers,

especially in the height of the pandemic,

那我们为什么不能设计出 像这些一样方便的投票过程呢

are choosing their experiences in the comfort of their home

and on their schedules.

幸运的是，我们不用妄加猜测

So why can't we design a voting process

在科罗拉多，我们已经 设计出了那样的投票过程

that is as convenient as that?

科罗拉多是现在 选举最好的几个州之一

Luckily, we don't have to speculate.

也是是最安全的几个州之一

In Colorado, we've already designed that process,

2013年，我和一群 一心一意想要重新设计

and Colorado is now one of the best states to vote in

我们投票过程的领头人们一起工作

and also one of the most secure.

并且通过了选民优先的立法法律

In 2013, I worked with a group of dedicated leaders

在科罗拉多，每个选民 会在每次选举前提前收到选票

to redesign our voting process

and pass legislation that put voters first.

他们是自动被登记了要投票的

In Colorado,

不会有过分严格的截止日期限制

every voter receives a ballot ahead of each election.

并且有了选票跟踪， 选民们可以像追踪快递一样

They're automatically registered to vote.

追踪他们投出的选票

There's no overly restrictive deadlines.

在选票过程中， 从选票被邮寄出的那一刻

And with BallotTRACE, voters can track their ballot

到选举官员清算收到选票的那一刻

just like they would a package,

丹佛作为系统 的先驱已经是11年前了

through the process, from the moment it's mailed

当我们设计了系统

to the moment the election official receives it for counting.

我们能够减少70%被呼叫的次数

That system was pioneered in Denver now 11 years ago.

并在过程中注入透明度和问责制

And when we designed it,

we were able to reduce our call volume by 70 percent

现在，你可以在家得到选票

and infuse transparency and accountability into the process.

你可以完成投票， 随后寄回或者自己拿过来

如果你想亲自投票

Now, when you get that ballot at home,

也是可以的

you can vote it and then mail it back in

并且你不需要被局限 在某一天政府分配的投票地

or drop it off in person.

And if you want to vote in person,

你可以去任何投票中心

you can do that, too.

And you're not confined to the government-assigned polling places

可以在你孩子的学校周边， 可以在上班地点附近，可以在家附近

你可以在选举几周前就这样做

on one day.

You can go to any vote center --

close to your kids' school, close to work, close to home --

从我们通过立法法案

执行模型已经七年了

and you can do so over a few weeks prior to the election.

结果是非常显著的

It's been seven years since we passed that legislation

科罗拉多的选举参与人数大幅提高了

and implemented that model.

现在是选民参与人数前几名

And the results are incredible.

也是最安全的州

Colorado increased turnout significantly

我们还见证了花销的减少

and now is one of the top states for voter turnout

加上因为越来越多的人们在家投票

and also one of the most secure.

我们不再需要那么多 的选票工作人员了

We also saw a reduction in costs.

人数上至少有了70%的减少

So, because more people were voting at home,

当我们去购入新的投票系统 我们不再需要那么多的设备了

we didn't need as many poll workers,

and we saw that reduce by over 70 percent.

我们也见证了选民们在一些本地的 比赛和选票议题的投票上更加深入了

When we went to buy a new voting system, we no longer needed as much equipment.

而且低选票的比赛和议题， 参与人数是有所上升的

We also saw voters go farther down the ballot,

to local races and ballot issues.

那些比赛包括了市长， 学校董事会以及市议会的参与

And we saw turnout increase on those down-ballot races and issues.

投票也包括了确实冗长 的法律术语投票议题

需要花很长时间去解决

Those races include mayor and school board and city council.

现在选民们在家 笔记本电脑都触手可得

And they also include the really long legalese ballot issues

他们可以根据自己 的时间去搜索参选者和议题

that take forever to figure out.

现在也有研究表明， 因为选民们都能使用起闲暇时间

Voters now have a laptop in reach at their home,

and they can research candidates and issues on their own time.

比起亲自到场投票还要因为 担心后面排着的长队仓促完成

We also have research now that shows that voting by mail and voting at home

通过邮件投票或者在家投票

makes voters more informed because they have all of that extra time,

使得选民们变得消息更加灵通了

as opposed to being in person

最后，我们也在科罗拉多 结果中感受出了的

and worrying about the long line of voters behind you

最重要的一点是

while you're trying to rush through.

未来选民们的公民教育

And the final, most important aspect

我也想分享一下关于 我两个在读小学的孩子的故事

of the results that we've seen out of Colorado

每次选举前，我的选票到的时候

is about civics for future voters.

我的其中一个孩子拿到之后， 他们就会开始一直问我

And I want to share my story with my two elementary children.

我们什么时候填妈妈的选票啊

Every time my ballot comes before each election,

我们一起坐下来

他们把用法说明读给我听

one of my kids gets it, and they always start asking,

他们会读出候选人的名字

问我像，“妈妈， 州长是做什么的呢”

"When are we going to fill out mom's ballot?"

We sit down together,

they read the instructions to me,

“市长是做什么的呢， 可能我以后也想当市长”

they read the candidate names,

我们一起搜索并讨论议题

and they ask me questions like, "Mom, what does governor do?

于是完成选票就花了我们很久很久

What does the mayor do? Maybe I want to be a mayor someday."

但我知道，我的影响带来了两个 后面一生都会参与进公民选举的未来选民

We research those issues together,

we talk about it,

and it takes me forever to complete my ballot.

他们会明白自己在选票中做出的选择

But I know that I have created lifelong, civically engaged voters

将怎样影响他们 的社区以及他们的世界

and future voters that understand that the choices they make on that ballot

这是我们希望全国上下 每个选民拥有的那种投票经历

impact their communities and their world.

许多其他的州已经开始注意到了

This is the type of voting experience that we want for every voter

包括像加利福尼亚， 佛蒙特州，新泽西州，夏威夷

across the country.

他们今年，也就是2020年 都增加了在家投票的选项

Many other states have taken notice,

including California, Vermont, New Jersey, Hawaii.

美国人是坚韧有弹性的

我们也需要这样一个 坚韧有弹性的投票过程

All have expanded options for voting at home this year, in 2020.

出于大流行病的影响

Americans are resilient.

出于责任和界线

出于不平等，出于不公平

We need a voting process that is also resilient --

出于外国对手

出于行政缺陷

from a pandemic,

规定数目的全国选民们 在家投出了选票

from burdens and barriers,

from inequities, from unfairness,

from foreign adversaries

and from administrative deficiencies.

安全，有保障

我们为能阻止和探测出 那些不怀好意，想干扰投票进程的人

Across the country, voters are choosing to vote at home in record numbers.

采取了安全措施

It is safe,

it is secure,

现在，在家投票使用的是纸质选票

and we have built-in security measures to deter and detect bad actors

但在未来，选票形式可能会天壤之别

who try to interfere with the process.

无关屏障和责任

Today, voting at home means paper ballots,

一个极好的、安全的投票体验 是每个选民应得的

but in the future, that might look very different.

是政客们在服务着我们

Voters deserve an awesome and safe voting experience,

而不是反过来

你值得最好的

free from barriers and burdens.

除此之外，有权要求，有权提倡

It's the politicians that serve us,

not the other way around.

谢谢大家

You deserve excellence.

Expect it, demand it and advocate for it.

Thank you.