Voting can be hard. It's been hard, sometimes painful, sometimes impossible, since the very beginning of our democracy. This year and years prior, we've seen voters wait in line for five, six and seven hours. And the issue hasn't been fixed. Now, some people may see these images and think, "How patriotic. How impressive that someone would wait in line for seven hours just to vote." But to me, it's not impressive at all. It's disrespectful to these voters. Making voting difficult goes against the very core of our democracy. If we could redesign the system to make it more convenient, more accessible and easier for voters, why wouldn't we?
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 今年和过去几年 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 这个问题至今仍未解决 有的人可能看见这些图景后会想 真是爱国啊,真是震撼啊 竟然有人只是为了投选票, 排了整整七小时的队 但是对我来说,这一点也不震撼 这样是对那些选民的不尊重 让选举变的困难, 和民主的核心背道而驰 如果我们能将体系重新设计得 更方便、更可理解、更简单 为什么不呢
Now, the short answer is: political will. Many established politicians would not actually benefit personally from a reformed voting process that's inclusive for all voters. Politicians are the players in the game, but yet they set the rules for the game. Election policy must be about who votes, not who wins.
简单来说,是政治意愿 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 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 选举政策必须包括 谁投了票,而不是谁赢了
And the more complicated answer is that our voting system and election system in the United States is highly decentralized and inconsistent. Over 10,000 different local election officials administer this process in cities and towns and counties across the country. They might vary in size from 400 voters to 4.7 million. There's also 50 different state legislative bodies that set the rules of the game, and over 50 different chief election officials and entities that oversee those rules and how they're administered. So voting may vary greatly from state to state. Best-case scenario, you're in a state like Colorado, and a ballot is mailed to you proactively before each and every election. No bureaucracy, no extra paperwork. The ballot comes, and the government is responsible for delivering democracy to you. Worst-case scenario, you're in a state like Missouri, where your options are limited, you have overly restrictive voter registration deadlines. And if you can't get off work or you don't have childcare or you're sick, that's too bad. And most American voters don't fall into the best-case scenario.
更复杂的答案是 我们美国的投票和选举系统 是高度分散管理和前后不一致的 这个过程是由超过10,000个 不同的当地选举官员管理的 他们来自全国的 各个城市、城镇以及郡县 所面对的投票者数量, 四百到四百七十万不等 还有50个不同的州立法机关 在为这个游戏制定着规则 并且,超过50个不同 的总选举官员和实体 在监督着他们所制定出 的规则以及他们是如何执行的 所以,州与州之间 的投票有很大的差异 最佳设想是 你在一个像科罗拉多一样的州 在每次选举之前, 选票会提前邮给你 不受官僚主义的影响 也没有多余的文案工作 选票就这样来了 而政府则负责为你实现民主 最坏的设想则是, 你所在州类似密苏里州 在这里,选项被限制着 选民被过分限制了登记的截止日期 如果你不能下班 或者没有在照顾孩子 再或者你生病了 那就是太糟糕的情况了 美国的多数投票者 都没能拥有所说的最佳设想
Now, in my career as an elections official for many years, and now leading the National Vote at Home Institute and our work to improve the voting process across the United States, I've talked to thousands of voters about their voting experience and thousands of election officials about the process. I also coauthored a book called "When Women Vote," that outlines a road map and a playbook for how to improve the process for all. And so I ask you: What would you choose? Which scenario would you choose?
我作为选举官员工作很多年了 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 我曾跟上千的投票者 聊过他们的投票感受 曾跟上千的选举官员聊过选举的过程 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 所以我想问 你会选择什么 你会选择哪种设想
Now, the 2016 election was the most highly watched, most anticipated election in US history. And yet, only 60 percent of eligible Americans actually voted. Over 100 million people did not vote in 2016. And when they were surveyed as to why, over 40 percent indicated it was due to a barrier: missing a deadline, couldn't get off work, couldn't wait in line for hours. If "did not vote" was on the ballot in 2016, "did not vote" would have won in a landslide. What we end up with is a system where a minority of eligible Americans are choosing the politicians that make decisions for all of us collectively. Trust in the US government and politicians is at an all-time low, and the ballot box isn't helping. If we can't even cast a vote easily, why would we ever trust the process or trust politicians? We must put voters first. I'll say that again. We must put voters first in election policies and designing a system that serves them.
2016届选举正被高度关注着 这是美国历史上参与数最多的选举 但是,实际上只有60% 符合条件的美国人投了票 而超过1亿的人并没有 投出2016的选票 当这些没有投票的人被问起原因时 超过四成的人指出是因为 以下几个障碍,例如: 错过了截止日期 没有办法下班 不想为投票排几个小时的队 如果“没有投票”选项 出现在2016年的选票上 “没有投票”就会取得压倒式胜利 最终我们得到的会这样的一个系统 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 大家对美国政府以及政客们 的信任一起以来都非常低 投票箱也并未起到作用 如果我们不能简单的投出选票 我们怎能信任投票过程, 信任政客们呢 我们必须把选民们放在首位 我要再强调一次 我们必须在选举政策中 把选民们放在首位 并且设计出为他们服务的系统
Just ask any successful business. We live in an era of same-day shipping, free delivery, Lyft and Uber and take-home cocktails. And consumers, especially in the height of the pandemic, are choosing their experiences in the comfort of their home and on their schedules. So why can't we design a voting process that is as convenient as that?
就从任意一个成功的生意说起 我们现在生活在的时代 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 消费者们,尤其是疫情盛行期间 会选择根据在家的舒适度 或者他们的日程安排调整选择 那我们为什么不能设计出 像这些一样方便的投票过程呢
Luckily, we don't have to speculate. In Colorado, we've already designed that process, and Colorado is now one of the best states to vote in and also one of the most secure. In 2013, I worked with a group of dedicated leaders to redesign our voting process and pass legislation that put voters first. In Colorado, every voter receives a ballot ahead of each election. They're automatically registered to vote. There's no overly restrictive deadlines. And with BallotTRACE, voters can track their ballot just like they would a package, through the process, from the moment it's mailed to the moment the election official receives it for counting.
幸运的是,我们不用妄加猜测 在科罗拉多,我们已经 设计出了那样的投票过程 科罗拉多是现在 选举最好的几个州之一 也是是最安全的几个州之一 2013年,我和一群 一心一意想要重新设计 我们投票过程的领头人们一起工作 并且通过了选民优先的立法法律 在科罗拉多,每个选民 会在每次选举前提前收到选票 他们是自动被登记了要投票的 不会有过分严格的截止日期限制 并且有了选票跟踪, 选民们可以像追踪快递一样 追踪他们投出的选票 在选票过程中, 从选票被邮寄出的那一刻 到选举官员清算收到选票的那一刻
That system was pioneered in Denver now 11 years ago. And when we designed it, we were able to reduce our call volume by 70 percent and infuse transparency and accountability into the process. Now, when you get that ballot at home, you can vote it and then mail it back in or drop it off in person. And if you want to vote in person, you can do that, too. And you're not confined to the government-assigned polling places on one day. You can go to any vote center -- close to your kids' school, close to work, close to home -- and you can do so over a few weeks prior to the election. It's been seven years since we passed that legislation and implemented that model. And the results are incredible.
丹佛作为系统 的先驱已经是11年前了 当我们设计了系统 我们能够减少70%被呼叫的次数 并在过程中注入透明度和问责制 现在,你可以在家得到选票 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 也是可以的 并且你不需要被局限 在某一天政府分配的投票地 你可以去任何投票中心 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 从我们通过立法法案 执行模型已经七年了 结果是非常显著的
Colorado increased turnout significantly and now is one of the top states for voter turnout and also one of the most secure. We also saw a reduction in costs. So, because more people were voting at home, we didn't need as many poll workers, and we saw that reduce by over 70 percent. When we went to buy a new voting system, we no longer needed as much equipment. We also saw voters go farther down the ballot, to local races and ballot issues. And we saw turnout increase on those down-ballot races and issues. Those races include mayor and school board and city council. And they also include the really long legalese ballot issues that take forever to figure out. Voters now have a laptop in reach at their home, and they can research candidates and issues on their own time. We also have research now that shows that voting by mail and voting at home makes voters more informed because they have all of that extra time, as opposed to being in person and worrying about the long line of voters behind you while you're trying to rush through.
科罗拉多的选举参与人数大幅提高了 现在是选民参与人数前几名 也是最安全的州 我们还见证了花销的减少 加上因为越来越多的人们在家投票 我们不再需要那么多 的选票工作人员了 人数上至少有了70%的减少 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 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 而且低选票的比赛和议题, 参与人数是有所上升的 那些比赛包括了市长, 学校董事会以及市议会的参与 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 现在选民们在家 笔记本电脑都触手可得 他们可以根据自己 的时间去搜索参选者和议题 现在也有研究表明, 因为选民们都能使用起闲暇时间 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 通过邮件投票或者在家投票 使得选民们变得消息更加灵通了
And the final, most important aspect of the results that we've seen out of Colorado is about civics for future voters. And I want to share my story with my two elementary children. Every time my ballot comes before each election, one of my kids gets it, and they always start asking, "When are we going to fill out mom's ballot?" We sit down together, they read the instructions to me, they read the candidate names, and they ask me questions like, "Mom, what does governor do? What does the mayor do? Maybe I want to be a mayor someday." We research those issues together, we talk about it, and it takes me forever to complete my ballot. But I know that I have created lifelong, civically engaged voters and future voters that understand that the choices they make on that ballot impact their communities and their world. This is the type of voting experience that we want for every voter across the country.
最后,我们也在科罗拉多 结果中感受出了的 最重要的一点是 未来选民们的公民教育 我也想分享一下关于 我两个在读小学的孩子的故事 每次选举前,我的选票到的时候 我的其中一个孩子拿到之后, 他们就会开始一直问我 我们什么时候填妈妈的选票啊 我们一起坐下来 他们把用法说明读给我听 他们会读出候选人的名字 问我像,“妈妈, 州长是做什么的呢” “市长是做什么的呢, 可能我以后也想当市长” 我们一起搜索并讨论议题 于是完成选票就花了我们很久很久 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 他们会明白自己在选票中做出的选择 将怎样影响他们 的社区以及他们的世界 这是我们希望全国上下 每个选民拥有的那种投票经历
Many other states have taken notice, including California, Vermont, New Jersey, Hawaii. All have expanded options for voting at home this year, in 2020. Americans are resilient. We need a voting process that is also resilient -- from a pandemic, from burdens and barriers, from inequities, from unfairness, from foreign adversaries and from administrative deficiencies. Across the country, voters are choosing to vote at home in record numbers. It is safe, it is secure, and we have built-in security measures to deter and detect bad actors who try to interfere with the process. Today, voting at home means paper ballots, but in the future, that might look very different.
许多其他的州已经开始注意到了 包括像加利福尼亚, 佛蒙特州,新泽西州,夏威夷 他们今年,也就是2020年 都增加了在家投票的选项 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 出于大流行病的影响 出于责任和界线 出于不平等,出于不公平 出于外国对手 出于行政缺陷 规定数目的全国选民们 在家投出了选票 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 采取了安全措施 现在,在家投票使用的是纸质选票 但在未来,选票形式可能会天壤之别
Voters deserve an awesome and safe voting experience, free from barriers and burdens. It's the politicians that serve us, not the other way around. You deserve excellence. Expect it, demand it and advocate for it.
无关屏障和责任 一个极好的、安全的投票体验 是每个选民应得的 是政客们在服务着我们 而不是反过来 你值得最好的 除此之外,有权要求,有权提倡
Thank you.
谢谢大家