6th Graders Can Solve Our Voting Problem

Leah Nyfeler
Nov 7 · 3 min read

Are you a Texan? Did you vote? Well, congrats; you are one of the 12 percent of registered voters who cast a ballot yesterday. True — weighing in on state constitutional amendments is nowhere near as exciting as voting for people. And that 12 percent is the highest turnout for an odd-year vote in 14 years (I’m embarrassed to say that, in 2005, when a whopping 18 percent of registered Texas voters turned out to vote on banning same-sex marriage, the amendment passed). We’re just not showing up.

And here’s a good reason why:

It’s easy to blow off voting when you can’t understand the ballot.

I’m a geeky word nerd English major who gave up on yesterday’s tortured ballot text. Thank goodness The Austin Chronicle provides an advance run-down of ballot items with “translation”; without that help, who’s to say even I wouldn’t have skipped voting altogether?

And maybe that’s the intent. Think about it — currently, far less than one quarter of Texas’ voters decide important state issues.

Shouldn’t voting be easy for everyone to understand?

white oval with American flag that says Reading your ballot should be as easy as reading this sticker (by Leah Fisher Nyfeler
white oval with American flag that says Reading your ballot should be as easy as reading this sticker (by Leah Fisher Nyfeler

According to the Clear Language Group, 43 percent of Americans 15 years or older have only a basic reading level proficiency. What that means is that, for everyone to understand, text should be written at approximately 6th grade level. We know this — 2010’s Plain Writing Act “ requires that federal agencies use clear government communication that the public can understand and use.”

Now, imagine if every ballot was read by a 6th grader, who was then asked, “What are you voting on?”

Let’s go real world. Here’s Proposition 10 from Texas’ Nov. 5, 2019 ballot:

“The constitutional amendment to allow the transfer of a law enforcement animal to a qualified caretaker in certain circumstances.”

“Enmienda constitucional para permitir, en ciertas circunstancias, la transferencia de animales de las fuerzas del orden a un cuidador calificado.”

According to Ballotpedia, Proposition 10 passed by an overwhelming percentage — 93.7 percent or 1,845,766 votes for. Only 6.25 percent (123,032 people) voted against. Hmm . . . I bet they didn’t understand what they were voting agaist. What if that proposition had been written like this:

Do you agree to let people adopt retired police dogs and horses?

Really, who’d vote against that? Yes, every nuance isn’t specified (nor is every nuance specified in the text that actually appeared on the ballot) but the idea is there for citizens to approve or oppose. Now, statewide Prop 10 was easy. Try your hand at this Travis County measure (thanks, Ballotpedia, for the exact, um, “language”):

“Shall a city ordinance be adopted that requires that a sale, lease, conveyance, mortgage, or other alienation of City-owned land for any existing or future youth, recreational, or professional sports facility or any existing or future entertainment facility be approved by a supermajority vote of council (9 of 11 members) and also be approved by the voters at an election for which the City must pay; requires that any site development permits and variances related thereto be approved by a supermajority vote of council (9 of 11 members); requires that site development permits and variances related thereto be approved by the voters at an election for which the City must pay, if the sale, lease, conveyance, mortgage, or other alienation of City-owned land for the facility has not already obtained voter approval; requires that the facility post payment and performance bonds and pay ad valorem taxes, or payments equal to the amount of ad valorem taxes; and requires that all information concerning such sale, lease, conveyance, mortgage, or other alienation shall be disclosed to the public.

Yeah, I rest my case. What do you say we turn some 6th graders loose on that?

Written by

Always up to push a few boundaries: workouts, travel, politics, food & chat. Read more at Enjoying the Journey: Observations on the Fit Life, leahruns100.com

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