An Election Redesign to Restore Trust in US Democracy | Tiana Epps-Johnson | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

It's dark days for democracy.

現在是民主的黑暗時期。

And our crisis is global.

我們的危機是全球性的。

If you're like me, you can feel it in your bones.

如果你和我一樣， 你從骨子裡就能感覺到。

My expertise focuses on democracy in the United States,

我的專長主要是美國的民主， 美國是我生活、工作的地方，

where I live and work.

And while we've long lifted up our own system on a pedestal

雖然我們自己的制度長久以來

是世界參考的典範，

as an example for the world,

we're one of those democracies that's currently in a yearslong decline.

我們卻也是目前正在經歷數年 不斷衰落的民主國家之一。

So much of the conversation in the media and among experts

在媒體上及在專家間所談的內容多半

is about our broken two-party system.

都和兩黨體制的缺陷有關。

Democrats vs. Republicans.

民主黨 vs. 共和黨。

And so much of the conversation about voting is about the outcomes:

談到投票時，談的多半都是結果：

the winners and the losers.

贏家和輸家。

These are the wrong conversations

如果我們想要處理現今美國民主 面臨的威脅，該談的不是這些。

if we want to tackle the threat to US democracy today.

Because we have a much more fundamental challenge, and it’s quickly growing.

因為我們有個更基礎的難題， 且它正在快速成長中。

The United States election infrastructure is crumbling.

美國選舉的基礎設施正在崩潰中。

By infrastructure, I mean the technology,

我所指的基礎設施，包括科技、

the physical infrastructure, like facilities,

實體的基礎設施，如場地設施，

and most importantly, the human infrastructure,

還有，最重要的，基礎人力，

the people who manage the US voting process.

也就是管理美國投票過程的人。

Election infrastructure is so essential

選舉基礎設施非常重要，

that it's been designated critical infrastructure

重要到被美國國土安全部 明定為關鍵基礎設施。

by the US Department of Homeland Security.

That puts it on par with systems like our power grid and water supply

這讓它在聯邦政府眼中的重要性

不亞於電力網和供水系統。

in the eyes of the federal government.

But they haven't invested in it like it's critical.

但他們對它的投資 卻感覺不出它有多關鍵。

The average portion of a county budget spent on election operations

郡預算花在選舉運作上的平均比例

is about half of one percent.

約為 0.5%。

To put that into context,

做個比較會更清楚了解：

we spend about the same amount to maintain parking facilities

我們花在維護停車設施上的金額

as we do our election system.

和花在選舉制度上的差不多。

If we zoom out a little bit,

如果更宏觀來看，

根據全球標準，美國 選舉制度其實相當獨特。

the US election system is actually pretty unique by global standards.

Unlike some other places,

和一些其他地方不同， 我們沒有中央選舉機關

we have no central election authority

that's responsible for managing the logistics of voting

來負責為全國管理投票的後勤。

for our entire country.

Instead, we have thousands and thousands of local departments

反之，我們有數以千計的地方部門，

that each have some independent mix

每個部門都有些獨立的 各式人等來設法

for figuring out how to make voting work where they live.

讓他們當地的投票能順利進行。

These departments are staffed by professional election officials

這些部門的成員包括 職業的選舉官員，

with support from volunteer poll workers during peak election season.

在最忙碌的選舉季會有 志願投票處工作人員來支援。

So with no government-run how-to for how to administer elections,

所以，

沒有政府官方指引 來說明如何實施選舉，

we end up seeing widely different voting experiences throughout the US,

結果就是在美國各地都有 十分不同的投票方式，

where voting can legitimately work one way in one community

可能在這個社區中，投票可以 合法地用這種方式進行，

and look totally different somewhere else.

在別處採用的方式 卻看起來全然不同。

For over a decade,

十多年來，我的工作重點一直是

my work has focused on providing technology and training

提供技術、訓練，及其他資源 給州及地方的選舉官員，

and other resources to state and local election officials

to support them in their work serving voters.

以支援他們進行服務選民的工作。

In my current role,

我目前的角色看起來 是要與全國每個角落的

that has looked like working with election departments

所有選舉部門合作，

in every corner of the country,

that together serve about 75 percent of our eligible voters.

加總起來會服務到 75% 的合法選舉人。

This has given me a really unique window

那讓我能從很獨特的角度

into what it actually takes these public servants on the front lines

去看這些公僕在前線真正需要些什麼

to do things like keep voter rolls up to date

才能做到比如確保 選舉人名冊是最新的、

and quickly and accurately count ballots

快速、正確地計算選票，

and inform their communities about how the process works.

以及讓他們的社區知道 選舉流程怎麼運作。

This year-round work is hard.

這種全年的工作很不簡單。

And it's often super thankless.

且通常超級吃力不討好。

And the last two years have been some of the worst.

過去兩年算得上是最糟糕的。

Election officials who serve millions of voters

服務數百萬選民的選舉官員

currently lack the basic technology that they need to reliably do their work.

目前很缺乏基礎技術，讓他們 無法可靠地做好他們的工作。

It either doesn’t exist, or it’s shockingly outdated.

若不是沒有這類技術 就是技術極端過時。

In the year 2020,

在 2020 年，

we supported a small New England town replace their hand crank ballot box

我們資助一個新英格蘭小鎮 更換他們的手動曲柄選票箱，

that they had been using since the early 1900s to count ballots.

他們從 1900 年代初期 就用這種票箱來計算選票。

One was literally held together by duct tape.

真的是靠布膠帶纏著才沒散掉。

Even worse,

還有更糟的，

the people that underpin our voting process,

讓我們投票流程 能夠進行的幕後人員，

the election officials, are currently under attack.

即選舉官員，目前正在遭受攻擊。

In exchange for being outspoken about the integrity of the process

因為直言不諱地談 2020 年

由他們負責的流程的廉正性，

that they managed in 2020,

which, by the way,

順道一提，該選舉成為美國

turned out to be our highest turnout election in the US in over a century

百餘年來投票率最高的選舉，

and the most secure election ever administered in our history,

也是我們歷史上 舉辦過最安全的選舉，

according to our national security community --

這是我們的國家安全機構說的——

(Applause)

（掌聲）

In exchange for the grit and determination

在全球疫情下要完成這樣的成就

that it took to make that possible during a global pandemic,

需要相當的勇氣和決心，代價卻是

today, election officials are receiving death threats,

現今選舉官員不斷收到死亡威脅，

their children are being bullied,

他們的孩子被霸凌，

and some have had to flee their homes.

有些人還得逃離家園。

A recent survey shows that one in three election officials,

最近的一項調查發現， 三分之一的選舉官員，

one in three,

三分之一，

currently feel unsafe doing their work.

目前覺得做他們的工作 是很不安全的。

It's appalling.

很駭人聽聞。

And enough is enough.

夠了，該適可而止了。

We are at a tipping point for US democracy

我們正處在美國民主的 關鍵轉折點，坦白說，

and frankly, democracy globally.

是全球民主。

I don't know about you,

我不知道你怎樣，但我個人並不喜歡

but I personally don't feel comfortable

just standing around, leaving things to chance.

就只是什麼都不做，把一切留給命運。

And I especially don't feel comfortable standing by, asking election officials

且我特別不喜歡

袖手旁觀，要求選舉官員

to keep figuring out how to make it work alone,

不斷靠他們自己想辦法搞定，

while our system is getting pushed to its brink.

同時我們的制度正被推向邊緣。

We need to rally around a set of shared values and standards,

我們需要整合一系列 共同的價值觀和標準，

a North Star,

一顆北極星，

so that every single voter, regardless of their zip code,

讓每一位選民，

不論屬於哪個行政區，

has access to a process that's both fair and trustworthy.

都能夠透過公平 且能信賴的流程來投票。

Election officials need a place where they can come together

選舉官員需要有個地方，讓他們 能集合起來保持技能不落伍，

to keep their skills fresh

so that they're ready to tackle whatever challenges might come,

才能夠準備好處理 任何可能遇到的挑戰，

whether it's training to bolster cybersecurity

不論是強化網路安全性的訓練，

or to combat disinformation

或者去對抗假消息，

or to help them keep voters safe during a pandemic.

或者協助他們在疫情期間 保障選民的安全。

And every election department,

每個選舉部門，

rural, urban, large, small,

不論在鄉村或都市，不論大小，

needs access to 21st century secure technology

必須要能夠取得 二十一世紀的安全性技術，

so that every single community has access to the basics.

這麼一來，每個社區 才能取得最基本的東西，

Like, a website where voters can find out answers

比如，一個網站， 讓選民可以去找答案，

about how voting works where they live.

了解在他們的所在地要如何投票。

Or data-driven tools that election officials can use

或者資料導向的工具， 選舉官員可以用來

to make sure that we don't have lines that snake around city blocks

確保繞著街區排隊的隊伍 不會跑到投票地以外的地方。

outside of polling places.

Last summer,

去年夏天，我在疫情開始之後

I was at my first conference since the start of the pandemic,

第一次參加大會，

and I was going up the escalator

我搭手扶梯上樓時

and I locked eyes with this election official

我和我很崇拜的一位 選舉官員四目相交。

who I absolutely adore.

Let's call her Sarah.

咱們就稱她為莎菈。

I ran and I gave Sarah a huge hug,

我跑去給了莎菈一個大擁抱，

and I realized that probably 60 seconds passed before we let go.

我們抱了大概六十秒鐘才放手。

And when we did, I was crying and so was Sarah.

放手後，我在哭，莎菈也在哭。

Sarah's life got flipped totally upside down after the 2020 election,

在 2020 年的選舉之後， 莎菈的人生整個天翻地覆，

when a vicious conspiracy theory about her office went viral.

因為有個關於她辦公室的 惡意陰謀論被瘋傳。

Almost immediately, the death threats started to roll in,

她幾乎馬上就開始收到 大量的死亡威脅，

and they were unrelenting and they were very specific

那些威脅很無情，

非常明確描述

about the harm that they wished upon Sarah

他們希望莎菈受到怎樣的傷害，

and her husband

也不放過她的丈夫，

and their children.

以及他們的孩子。

And still, Sarah never backed down from telling the truth

即便如此，

莎菈始終沒有退縮， 對她主導的流程仍誠實以告。

about the process that she led.

In that moment, I was so overwhelmed with gratitude and love

那一刻，我心中是滿滿的

對莎菈的感激、愛、及欽佩，

and admiration for Sarah that I couldn't help the tears.

讓我控制不住眼淚。

But I think if I'm being super, super honest,

但，如果要我非常老實說，

I was just so happy that my friend was still here to hug.

我只是很高興

我的朋友還能在這裡跟我擁抱。

Election officials deserve a warm,

選舉官員應得溫暖、歡迎他們的社區，

welcoming community where their hard work is celebrated and encouraged,

他們的辛苦應該要被讚美與鼓勵，

not vilified.

而非被詆毀。

And all of this is exactly why I'm so excited

這一切就是為什麼 我這麼興奮我們能夠邀請

that we are inviting every single election department in the United States

美國的每一個選舉部門

to join the US Alliance for Election Excellence.

加入美國選舉卓越聯盟。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

The Alliance is a place where election officials and technologists

在這個聯盟裡， 選舉官員、科技人員、

and designers and other experts are working hand in hand

設計師，及其他專家可以攜手合作，

to revitalize US democracy.

振興美國民主。

And we're doing it by focusing on the basics, a shared North Star,

我們的做法會專注在基本，

共同的北極星，

the tools that it actually takes to get the job done,

把事情搞定所需要的工具，

and a community of support that has each other's back,

以及一個支持團體，彼此互挺，

whatever might come.

面對任何事。

It is absolutely crucial that we rebuild the foundation of US democracy,

非常重要的是，

我們要重建美國民主的基礎，

and that's exactly what we're going to do.

那就是我們打算要做的。

The Alliance is not only ready to meet this moment,

聯盟不僅準備好要來迎接這個時刻，

we're ready to create a foundation so strong,

我們也準備好要創建很堅固的基礎，

that we can make it another 200 years.

讓我們可以再撐兩百年。

Together.

齊心共進。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌聲及歡呼聲）