Mississippi state election settled by drawing straws
19 replies, posted
[img]http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/DA0C/production/_86802855_hi030223721.jpg[/img]
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34883294[/url]
[quote]A Democrat has won a Mississippi House race by drawing a longer straw, an official way to break a tie in a legislative election for the state.
Democrat Bo Eaton met Republican Mark Tullos to draw straws and Mr Tullos drew the shorter one.
Mr Eaton's fateful grasp of the longer straw gave him the victory, keeping Republicans from having a supermajority in the state house.
Mr Tullos, not admitting defeat, filed an appeal on Friday.[/quote]
I legitimately cannot believe this is used to determine the winner of an election in 2015..
...only in Mississippi would this be considered a valid means of securing victory.
[QUOTE=Bradyns;49162101]I legitimately cannot believe this is used to determine the winner of an election in 2015..
...only in Mississippi would this be considered a valid means of securing victory.[/QUOTE]
The UK uses it too although flipping a coin is also accepted as an alternative ([url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drawing_straws#United_Kingdom]seriously[/url])
It should be something non-random like a state history test. In event of a tie of scores, winner is the speediest one to finish it.
[QUOTE=smurfy;49162093][img]http://ichef-1.bbci.co.uk/news/660/cpsprodpb/DA0C/production/_86802855_hi030223721.jpg[/img]
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-34883294[/url][/QUOTE]
that photo is great for awkward facial reactions
And this is the state I'm moving to tomorrow...
[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;49162103]It should be something non-random like a state history test. In event of a tie of scores, winner is the speediest one to finish it.[/QUOTE]
I don't think so, because guess who would (directly or indirectly) make the history test? That's right, the party in government. If you can't trust the parties to not gerrymander when re-districting, how could you trust them to make an impartial test for resolving ties?
And why does knowing your state's history matter anyways? It's not necessary for being an effective representative for your constituents.
[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;49162103]It should be something non-random like a state history test. In event of a tie of scores, winner is the speediest one to finish it.[/QUOTE]
i'd take the chances of a coin flip than that
[quote=BBC]Mr Tullos, not admitting defeat, filed an appeal on Friday.[/quote]
Imagine filling an appeal over a draw of straws, good Lord...
I don't understand how you can actually have a tie out of thousands of votes.
[QUOTE=Bradyns;49162101]I legitimately cannot believe this is used to determine the winner of an election in 2015..
...only in Mississippi would this be considered a valid means of securing victory.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 24 states legally decide the outcome of tied legislative elections by drawing straws or flipping coins.
Similar cases have happened in New Mexico and Alaska, using a coin toss.
Connecticut decided in 2007 to eliminate chance games for breaking ties, a year after a coin toss determined a state house election.[/QUOTE]
Half of the United States would like you disagree with you.
[QUOTE=Levelog;49162362]And this is the state I'm moving to tomorrow...[/QUOTE]
Been living here 21 years bro welcome to the show.
If you're anywhere but Oxford or Hattiesburg it's probs gonna suck.
[QUOTE=skynrdfan3;49163236]Been living here 21 years bro welcome to the show.
If you're anywhere but Oxford or Hattiesburg it's probs gonna suck.[/QUOTE]
Vicksburg, no such luck.
[QUOTE=Antdawg;49162425]And why does knowing your state's history matter anyways? It's not necessary for being an effective representative for your constituents.[/QUOTE]
uuhh... It's kind of important to understand the context when you're in charge of legislation...
I would want my representative to know more about the issues he's representing on than the average citizen who voted for them..
[QUOTE=Levelog;49163334]Vicksburg, no such luck.[/QUOTE]
Vburg aint that bad, it's really pretty. Life is what you make it, do cool shit there.
The more Blue in both houses, the more likely Bernie Sanders can do what he needs to do if (when) he becomes elected. I'm fine with this heheh
[QUOTE=soulharvester;49163351]uuhh... It's kind of important to understand the context when you're in charge of legislation...
I would want my representative to know more about the issues he's representing on than the average citizen who voted for them..[/QUOTE]
A 'state history' test implies testing things like the date on which that state entered the union, who was the Governor in the year x, who's the longest-serving member ever in the lower house, which year the state ratified which amendment etc etc, or in other words, things that makes no difference to how well a legislator can do their job. Their job being to listen to their constituents and other stakeholders, serve on committees, and vote on bills based on an analysis of current circumstances and consideration for future outcomes. History is history, or for a legislator, not that relevant.
Knowing why, when, and how things were ratified/passed/amended sounds like an important part of being a legislator to me?
And if you had a state history test, the framework for the test would have to be passed through legislation. Say Democrats control the legislature and the executive. They pass a 'state history' test for tie resolution (which is ridiculous because ties are extremely unlikely to happen anyways). The executive deliberately crafts the questions behind closed doors (as there would be no requirement for them to be written in legislation) and all Democrat candidates are told which questions to study for in the case where a tie happens, whilst the Republican and independent candidates have no idea about what will be in the test. It's deliberately rigged to favour one group of candidates.
[QUOTE=skynrdfan3;49163236]Been living here 21 years bro welcome to the show.
If you're anywhere but Oxford or Hattiesburg it's probs gonna suck.[/QUOTE]
eh biloxi is the shit. I used to live there. it may have been mississippi, but I loved the hell out of biloxi.
[editline]22nd November 2015[/editline]
[QUOTE=Levelog;49162362]And this is the state I'm moving to tomorrow...[/QUOTE]
dude the sip ain't that bad. dumbass politics aside mississippi is a pretty nice place. i like visiting it from time to time, it's real friendly especially on the coast. plus it has some pretty nice areas and has areas conveniently located to more major cities like memphis and new orleans.
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