Tale of Two Elections

So apparently, Mattel held an election to allow whoever voted to decide Barbie's next career choice -- anchorwoman, computer engineer, architect, environmentalist or surgeon. As WSJ tells it, girls voted in large part for anchorwoman. Women in science heard of the election, though, and got busy; they told their associations, organizations, friends, and anyone in the science field to vote for computer engineer. As the viral messages got through, female geeks and nerds turned the tide around. Based on the votes, Barbie is getting her "geek" on coming this fall and computer engineer Barbie is coming this fall (Mattel is also manufacturing anchorwoman Barbie). It's a true testament to what power of democracy and voting (and some geek power) can do.

In a more serious context though, power of voting works if everyone has equal access. Right now, a landmark election is being held in Sudan. It's a landmark election because it's the country's first multiparty election in 20 years, as the NY Times notes. But not everyone had access to vote because the polling stations were not open. See this BBC News site with comments from folks. And shouldn't there be real choices, as in more than 1 choice? Opposition leaders of the parties not in power have dropped out of the race. The only choice left on the ballot appears to be the incumbent president of Sudan, who is currently charged by the International Criminal Court with crimes against humanity. What do you do when there are no other choices? Some of the discouraged folks apparently did not and does not intend to vote. But that would mean that those who voted, and voted for the incumbent president, would be the only ones to have their voices heard. When there is no real choice, then maybe it should be like the multiple choice questions we used to take in high school ... you know, where the last choice is "none of the above." And choose that (or indicate that on the ballot) instead of choosing anyone on the ballot. What a powerful message that would send if people who believed the election is rigged, with no real choice, voted with a message that they choose to vote none of the above candidate. That would be an interesting election result indeed if majority indicated, by participating in election, that they choose not to elect any of the folks running.

Unfortunately and obviously, the reality is much different. And it may very well be likely, as it seems to happen in other countries, that there may not be a fair result because of lack of access to vote and lack of real choice. And that would discourage those not believing in the process to not vote at all. But by all means, I hope those people would then still make their voices heard -- by indicating "none of the above."