# Delay the Election? Conspiracy theorists should have a great time with this one! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 12, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742 "2004-07-12T17:58:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/1 "2004-07-12T17:58:59Z")
In this article by [Newsweek](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5411741/site/newsweek/) and this one on [CNN](http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/11/election.day.delay/index.html), Tom Ridge and other counter terrorism officials admit there is no data to support delaying the election, they just want to have a system in place. Maybe having the Supreme Court decide the election twice in a row would look suspicious. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/2 "2004-07-12T18:14:00Z")
Our current leadership could turn just about ANYONE into a conspiracy theorist. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/3 "2004-07-12T18:26:31Z")
Just what we need - the federal government gobbling up yet another perogative of local governments; in this case, the management of elections. If there should be some sort of calamity on election day we should trust local election officials to have sense enough to figure out whether voting should be delayed or extended in their area. (“But that might mess up the national election for president!” Yeah, it might. Tough shit. Actually, there is no national election for president - there are 51 “regional” ones. Stupid Electoral College.) ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/4 "2004-07-12T19:00:35Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Our current leadership could turn just about ANYONE into a conspiracy theorist. It isn’t paranoia if they really _are_ out to get you. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/5 "2004-07-12T19:06:25Z")
The US Constitution ([Article II, Section 1.](http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articleii.html#section1)) states that Congress sets the date for the Presidential election, not the states. > [@](#): > > The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same throughout the United States. There is no provision to move a date once it is set. There is no control by the states on when the election will occur. Congress would have to make this provision available, and clearly spelled out beforehand, (HOPEFULLY with some cross-party decision-making), in order for the POTENTIAL decision no avoid the appearance of partisanship. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/6 "2004-07-12T19:09:43Z")
So let me get this straight. In the event that AQ attacks us in a pathetic attempt to throw chaos into our democratic process, we’ll delay the election. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, they’ve already won. p.s. numbnuts, AQ _ain’t_ going to attack at a time when we most expect it. (major holiday or during a major event) ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/7 "2004-07-13T01:55:04Z")
Wasn’t there another thread on this? Anyway, I think there should be a clearly defined system for how to move the election and how far the election could be moved in case of something like say, a black of the entire NE of the US, or a huge earthquake and part of California falls into the ocean. Of course that would probably have to an admendment to the constitution. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/8 "2004-07-13T05:24:24Z")
I don’t really care what the event is. Terrorist attack or revolt of the mimes or killer asteroid or alien invasion. If the infrastructure is in place to collect, tally, and communicate votes, then the election must proceed. To those who protest: but what if it effects the vote? Wake up. _Everything_ effects the vote, from the price of milk to the president lying about blowjobs and imperialism. Just how do you decide what the cutoff is for “something that might affect the outcome?” One day? One hour? One week? It’s impossible to decide, so why bother? In many countries, the elections last a whole week. You don’t see these democracies shutting down the entire country, or saying “Do over, do over! Somebody set us up the bomb!” Fucking wimps. Look, here’s a criterion for you: If the News Networks can pump 24-hour coverage of a disaster into the homes of every American with a TV, then it’s _not catastrophic enough to suspend the most important election in our Democracy_. And one more thing, you can bet your sweet demmie and pubbie asses that if GWB and his cronies weren’t starting to sweat over the poll results, this wouldn’t even be discussed. They didn’t hesitate for a second to hold midterm elections in 2002, when they knew they were going to win a majority in both houses of Congress. Yet we’re so much safer now… the President just told us that today! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/9 "2004-07-13T06:02:55Z")
> [@bughunter](#): > > And one more thing, you can bet your sweet demmie and pubbie asses that if GWB and his cronies weren’t starting to sweat over the poll results, this wouldn’t even be discussed. The story _does_ look a bit like a Trial Balloon, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/10 "2004-07-13T10:33:33Z")
> [@UncleBill](#): > > The US Constitution ([Article II, Section 1.](http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.articleii.html#section1)) states that Congress sets the date for the Presidential election, not the states. There is no provision to move a date once it is set. There is no control by the states on when the election will occur. Congress would have to make this provision available, and clearly spelled out beforehand, (HOPEFULLY with some cross-party decision-making), in order for the POTENTIAL decision no avoid the appearance of partisanship. And that matters why? Just because the Constitution was _written_ to protect citizens from government doesn’t mean that isn’t now being used the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/11 "2004-07-13T11:22:11Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > And that matters why? Just because the Constitution was _written_ to protect citizens from government doesn’t mean that isn’t now being used the other way around. I was in reply to **BJMoose** , who stated > [@](#): > > Just what we need - the federal government gobbling up yet another perogative of local governments; in this case, the management of elections. If there should be some sort of calamity on election day we should trust local election officials to have sense enough to figure out whether voting should be delayed or extended in their area. The point is local government CANNOT do this under the current law, THAT is why it matters. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/12 "2004-07-13T14:00:16Z")
And as it develops, the feds can’t postpone the presidential election, either, there being no mechanism in existing law to do so. The current concensus is it’ll take an act of congress to make that possible. Anyway, if the story in this morning’s local paper is to believed, official interest in the notion is dying out as quickly as it popped up. **UncleBill** : So far as I know, the only federal mandate in elections is that elections for presidential electors must all occur the same day. So I think my rant against the Feds becoming involved in _the management of elections_ stands (God knows they screwed the pooch in 2000). ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/13 "2004-07-13T14:28:53Z")
I think an administration that can credibly be charged with having stolen the previous election is NOT the one to set up a mechanism for cancelling elections. You’ll need a cleanly elected administration for that. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/14 "2004-07-13T14:53:41Z")
Even bringing it up as an option would seem to be in keeping with the fear-mongering tactics of this administration. “Let’s test the waters on this and see if the public will buy yet another huge lie.” ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/15 "2004-07-13T14:57:28Z")
> [@Evil Captor](#): > > I think an administration that can credibly be charged with having stolen the previous election is NOT the one to set up a mechanism for cancelling elections. You’ll need a cleanly elected administration for that. Sure thing, Brainiac. Now if only you could point out where ‘cancelling’ the election is what is being considered… ---
**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/16 "2004-07-13T15:23:57Z")
> [@BJMoose](#): > > **UncleBill** : So far as I know, the only federal mandate in elections is that elections for presidential electors must all occur the same day. So I think my rant against the Feds becoming involved in _the management of elections_ stands (God knows they screwed the pooch in 2000). As you may or may not recall, it went to the Federal level through the Courts process. Lawsuits filed, adjudicated, appealed, ad nauseum. The FL Supreme Court decision to override the State Constitution was appealed. The State Court system is subordinate to the Federal Court system, and that is the legal way to address issues such as that. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2004, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/delay-the-election-conspiracy-theorists-should-have-a-great-time-with-this-one/254742/17 "2004-07-13T15:31:00Z")
Condi delivers the STRAIGHT DOPE: > [@](#): > > “We’ve had elections in this country when we were at war, even when we were in civil war. And we should have the elections on time. That’s the view of the president, that’s the view of the administration,” Rice told CNN on Monday. [Lead Balloon Sinks, Is Buried](http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=4&u=/ap/20040713/ap_on_el_pr/election_terrorism)