Celebrate Election Day with ‘Electoral Dysfunction’

The vast majority of Denverites won’t be voting in today’s municipal election.

Of the minority that choose to vote, most have either mailed in their ballots or dropped them off, eager to wash their hands of this civic duty. But for the few who can’t get enough of municipal Election Day, tonight, the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado will be hosting a screening of “Electoral Dysfunction,” a 2012 documentary about the war on voting since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“It’s a nationally acclaimed documentary that’s won several awards and looks at several issues around access to voting and our country’s voting system — some of the things that are good about it and some of the things that are not so good,” said John Krieger of ACLU Colorado.

In the documentary, political humorist Mo Rocca of Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me and Daily Show fame travels the United States trying to figure out why the Constitution does not guarantee the right to vote. On the way, he meets vote-hungry pols, disenfranchised citizens and advocates trying ensure integrity in the electoral process.

“It’s a road-trip around the country. It includes interviews with activists, experts and children. He exposes some of the really absurd things about the electoral college and the way in which we run national elections and also looks at these local issues of people trying to both expand access to voting and to restrict it,” said Krieger.

The screening takes place tonight, at 7:30 p.m., at the SIE FilmCenter, 2510 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver. Tickets cost $5 and include a free drink or concession.

1 COMMENT

  1. By state laws, The National Popular Vote bill would guarantee the presidency to the candidate who receives the most popular votes in the country.

    Every vote, everywhere, would be politically relevant and equal in every presidential election. No more distorting and divisive red and blue state maps of pre-determined outcomes.

    The bill would take effect when enacted by states with a majority of Electoral College votes—that is, enough to elect a President (270 of 538). The candidate receiving the most popular votes from all 50 states (and DC) would get all the 270+ electoral votes of the enacting states.

    A survey of Colorado voters showed 68% overall support for a national popular vote for President.

    Support was 79% among Democrats, 56% among Republicans, and 70% among independents.

    By age, support was 83% among 18-29 year olds, 59% among 30-45 year olds, 71% among 46-65 year olds, and 66% for those older than 65.

    By gender, support was 77% among women and 58% among men.

    The bill has passed 33 state legislative chambers in 22 rural, small, medium, large, Democratic, Republican and purple states with 250 electoral votes, including one house in Arkansas (6), Maine (4), Michigan (16), Nevada (6), New Mexico (5), North Carolina (15), and Oklahoma (7), and both houses in Colorado (9). The bill has been enacted by 11 jurisdictions with 165 electoral votes – 61% of the 270 necessary to go into effect.

    NationalPopularVote.com

Comments are closed.