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It’s the six-year-old sitting in the back of the summer vacation car.  “Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”

That’s what this election felt like.

Is it over yet?

It’s been nine months since the caucus’ in Iowa, which is as long ago as when the glaciers receded from North America.

Why does the United States need nine months to make a decision on our president?

No other country on this planet needs as much time.

Now that we are recovering from election overload, what can be done next time?

There are basically two types of elected government in the world.  The first is similar to ours, where the leader has a specific set time in office, and the dates of elections are known years in advance.

Then there is the British model where the leader has a maximum amount of time in office, usually four or five years, but the party and leader get to choose the date of the election.  Usually when their poll numbers are up.  In Canada there is a maximum of 36 days between calling an election and the vote.  That’s only just over one month of electioneering.

That sounds like heaven.

Australia the maximum is 140 days, or four and a half months, which is still better than our nine months.

Can we completely change the way the United States elects our officials, so that we have snap elections rather than specific dates on the calendar?

No.

Then what else can be done?

There are two things that need to be done.

Limit the amount of money spent on the campaigns.  In Canada the elections are kept short, partly because of the limited time, but also because the government limits the amount of money that can be spent on an election.  If the candidate does not have the money, they cannot campaign.  Simple.

There is also something else that can be done, and that is to put a limit on when the primaries begin.  Iowa was on Jan. 3 in the 2012 election cycle.  Nine months before the election.

It should be changed, so that primaries cannot be held more than three months before an election.

Will this ever happen?  Limit the amount of money the rich and powerful can donate to adjust the election?  Move the primaries?  I doubt it.  But there is always hope.

And earplugs.

 

 

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