IN THE NEWS - Election Roundup

IN THE NEWS - Election Roundup
By Cynthia Kirk

Broadcast: Saturday, October 23, 2004

This is Steve Ember with In the News in VOA Special English.

Americans in some states are already voting in the November second general elections. Thousands of people lined up to vote in Florida, one of four states where early voting began Monday. Election officials estimate that at least twenty percent of voters will vote before Election Day. Those votes, however, will be counted at the same time as the others, on November second.

 
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Since the two thousand election, many states have made it easier for people to vote before Election Day. More and more people vote by mail. Absentee ballots³ are meant for people who cannot go to their local voting station on Election Day.

There is also a kind of ballot² called a provisional ballot. These are given to people who try to vote on Election Day but do not find their name on voter lists. In two thousand two Congress passed the Help America Vote Act. This law requires a provisional ballot to be counted if officials are able to later establish that an individual could vote. Republicans and Democrats⁴, however, are fighting over the rules for counting provisional ballots.

In the final days before the election, campaigning is aimed at several states known as swing states or battleground states. These are where Republican President George Bush and Democratic Senator John Kerry are closest in levels of support.

Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania are considered the top three among these states. Some political experts say whichever candidate wins two of those three states will win the election.

Americans do not vote directly for their president. Instead, each of the fifty states represents a number of electoral votes. The number is related to population. A candidate must gain at least two hundred-seventy out of five hundred thirty-eight electoral votes to win.

In two thousand, the dispute over the vote in Florida lasted more than a month. The Supreme⁵ Court finally decided⁶ the legal battle. Many Americans are concerned about the possibility of another such delay.

Democrats and Republicans have been organizing thousands of lawyers to deploy⁷ on Election Day. A coalition⁸ of civil rights groups says it will have six thousand lawyers and law students to assist minority voters. The Republican National Lawyers Association says it has trained about one thousand lawyers to watch for anyone who tries to vote illegally.

 
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Some international election observers are already at work. And computer experts plan to watch for any trouble with electronic voting machines that will be used in many places.

Election officials around the country say record numbers of people have registered to vote. This includes record numbers of Americans living in other countries. Officials estimate that six million Americans live outside the United States. At least half are registered to vote. This includes about five hundred thousand members of the military and their families.

In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by Cynthia Kirk. This is Steve Ember.

1 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

2 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

3 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 deploy   

v.（军）散开成战斗队形，布置，展开

参考例句：

• The infantry began to deploy at dawn.步兵黎明时开始进入战斗位置。
• The president said he had no intention of deploying ground troops.总统称并不打算部署地面部队。

8 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。