Should California's vote be delayed?

An appeals court has ruled that there should be a delay in the vote on the "recall" of Governor, Gray Davis.

Civil rights groups argued that punch-card ballots used in six counties meant 40,000 Californian votes might be thrown out.

Three judges at the court agreed saying that the vote should be delayed until new more reliable machines become available next year.

The "recall" election - scheduled for 7 October - was triggered when critics of Mr Davis's handling of the economy collected enough signatures from voters.

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of more than 130 candidates

Do you think this recall should be put off until next year? Is this ruling about law or politics?

This debate is now closed. Read a selection of your comments below.

---

The following comments reflect the balance of views we have received:

I hope the decision is overturned and the recall election goes forward. There will be no end to the insipid, pious whinging until the matter is settled by vote. Only in America can people be outraged at the delay of an optional election that was contrived and purchased by political special interests in the first place.
Matt Murphy, Michigan, United States

Hopefully this unholy mess will cause California to fix its electoral process James, USA

The only reason the Supreme Court might become involved is the question of everyone in California having a vote. The whole recall process is a matter for the state of California to decide - there is not a word about electing governors in the U.S. Constitution. Any problems in the election have their roots at the state level, not the federal. Hopefully this unholy mess will cause California to fix its electoral process.
James, USA

As a native Californian who has lived out of the state and abroad for a number of years, it appears as what is going on borders on the idiotic. My feeling is that since the recall was politically motivated in the first place (no big secret there) with an agenda that was definitely not 'altruistic' to the people of California but rather the Republican party, that every effort should be made to ensure that it is a fair recall/election with all votes counted and no one person disenfranchised. Is this possible? Should be.
Patrick, California and Ireland

I think it makes sense to delay the vote for now. The voting machines in question were noted in the last election and required to be replaced by the next election. Because the next election is taking place much earlier than anticipated, they haven't been replaced yet. The Republicans will just have to deal with the consequences of forcing an early election.
Ray, California

The race is fairly tight at this point and a few thousand miscounted/discarded votes could make all the difference John, California, USA

Some people need to get their story straight. First, the recall signature gathering was sponsored by a conservative Republican who paid a rather large sum of money to make this happen, so it is not exactly a grass-roots movement to recall the governor. Second, there is already an election scheduled for March and all voting systems are required by law to be updated by then; it makes sense to have the recall vote cast at that time since the race is fairly tight at this point and a few thousand miscounted/discarded votes could make all the difference. In fact the October recall election shouldn't have been scheduled in the first place. It also seems strange that the same people who cheered when the Supreme Court intervened to stop ballot counting in Florida three years ago, effectively throwing out some people's votes, are now crying foul about the "sad day for democracy" when the court moves to prevent such situation from happening again. Remember - the recall is not cancelled, it will simply happen at a more appropriate time.
John, California, USA

The voting system in place here in California has a 2-3% voting error ratio. The new system is untested and claims will have a 1-2% voting error ratio. That is not a big enough difference to cancel an election. Keep the election on time and in place!
Dave Andrews, Pasadena, CA, USA

Your article should have stated that tens of thousands of voters from specific counties would be disenfranchised. The point the court makes is that some electoral regions would have a higher percentage of valid votes because of superior technology. This means that some regions would have an unfair advantage (mostly Republican). It isn't the punch cards, it is where they are located that creates the unacceptable inequity. Of course the election should be consolidated with the scheduled March vote. Only a ridiculously antiquated law forced the early scheduling in the first place.
Rick Heller, USA

No voting system is fool-proof. After the Courts force this change to electronic voting, someday 18 year old hackers will crack these electronic voting codes and change election results just for the fun. Stick to voting with paper and pens.
J.P. Correia, USA

The recall should be delayed until we have a way of accurately counting votes ED Denson, USA

The recall should be delayed until we have a way of accurately counting votes - that would seem to go without saying. The recall process is fascinating because it shows what real democracy looks like - something we have never before seen in my lifetime. It was relatively simple to register as a candidate and all candidates are on the ballots in a quasi-randomized order. I'm not sure that our elected governments can handle actual democratic elections so this one is a test case - another reason to be sure it is done right even if it means delaying it until we know the machinery is in place.
ED Denson, USA

How insulting to say to those voters that they are too dumb to work a voting machine! We all used the same machines in last Nov elections!!! The voters have signed the petition! Stop wasting more money by having to reprint the ballots again!!! The people of California are sick of these political ploys and waste of our money!!!!
M Barton, Orange

The reason punch cards has come up now and not before is that 1) Bush v Gore set a precedent in the Supreme Court, and 2) the CA Secretary of State had already called the current punch card system unacceptable and required an upgrade before the next general election. The upgrade will not be in place until March 2004. The ruling is surprising but it is rooted in law and not politics.
John, USA

A bit inconsistent, isn't it, that the opponents of the recall cite as grounds the flaws of punch-card voting machines, when these same machines were used last Nov. when Davis was elected?!
Jane Mack-Cozzo, USA

The recall is not "a joke" nor a "power grab". Nick, USA

The recall is not "a joke" nor a "power grab". The law in California grants provisions for its use, and the citizens of California have simply availed themselves of this provision.
Nick, USA

Why there was no issue with punch card machines during last year elections when even higher percentage of voters used them ? For that matter shouldn't all elections be postponed until all punch card machines are replaced ? Politics at its worst.
Alex, California, US

Why not simply use the old fashioned ballot paper and pencil. Its simple, cheap and reliable.
David, UK

Do not be too surprised when this ruling is also overturned. Michael, United States

The 9th Circuit Court is the most overturned court in the history of the United States. It currently has three judges, all liberals, all appointed by Democrat presidents. Do not be too surprised when this ruling is also overturned.
Michael, United States

I truly hope that the other 48 states will learn from Florida and California and replace any antique voting systems. We are, after all, heading into a major election season.
Paul Kosachiner, USA

I am absolutely furious! I just mailed back my absentee ballot because while I think this recall is a huge waste of our taxpayers money I wanted to get it over with. And today I looked at the front page of the Los Angeles Times to discover that now the 9th District Court has put a hold on it. I know that everyone thinks that California is crazy but now what???
Marsha Respess, U.S.A.

The Republicans first cried out that the recall empowers the voters and strengthens democracy. Now that the judges ruled to fix the ballot system to minimize errors and make every vote count, I find it hilarious that the Republicans are up in arms about this.
Roberto, USA

The founding Fathers must be turning in their graves. Peter Maher, USA

Another sad day for American Democracy. The ACLU and the liberal courts are destroying democracy in America where the "will of the people" is now decided by Lawyers and judges. The founding Fathers must be turning in their graves.
Peter Maher, USA

If the courts can cancel an election, is it still democracy?
Jeff Myhre, USA

Dear Jeff Myhre, The court did not CANCEL the election they just postponed it until everyone had an equal opportunity to vote.
Richard, UK in USA

The ruling rests on the same reasoning as Bush v. Gore. Though I disagreed with Bush v. Gore, in this case, its the same sauce they used for the goose and Republicans can hardly be heard now to object to the standard they argued for in the national election.
Tom, US

Funny, these groups had no problems with punch card ballots when they were used to elect Davis.
Jeff, USA

This ruling is a brilliant "in your face" move by the liberal 9th Circuit Court. In their decision, the most often cited precedent was the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court decision of three years ago - and now these hypocritical Republicans are crying foul. Hilarious.
Rob, Philadelphia, USA

The recall should proceed. Joe Nigrin, Guatemala

The recall should proceed, respecting the will of the people, who signed millions of names to have this political procedure done. This would set an example on how to get rid of politicians who don't serve their people.
Joe Nigrin, Guatemala

I don't think the recall should be postponed; California has had 3 years since the debacle in Florida to update its voting machines. If it hasn't done it by now, why should we expect they'll do it in the next few months?
Kevin, USA

I don't want to read again in the news that people's votes couldn't be counted. I want to machines fixed and to relax knowing each vote is counted and the results are accurate.
Sarah, USA

I'll tell you what's up with the California recall. The state of California is being consistent with the rest of America; making politics a complete joke. Just look at our president.
David Fuccillo, NYC, USA

First of all the ruling will get overturned on appeal. Second, this is California, the most messed up place on the planet next to Iraq. Now the rest of the world is seeing what a weird place it really is-the rest of us in the US have known this for years.
Mike Daly, USA

I do not like the idea of a recall - but what the court has done is a lot scarier. Madeleine Dunn, USA

The ruling was political. Californians have used the punch system for years and are now on a planned schedule to upgrade voting machines across the state? Hey, I do not like the idea of a recall - but what the court has done is a lot scarier.
Madeleine Dunn, USA

This sort of event just about sums up America's 'way of life'. For example, if the machines were faulty, why were they not fixed? Surely Americans must have noticed that their electoral system is determined via their courts, not their votes. A judge might just as well pick a name out of a hat.
Colin, Netherlands

Yet another wrinkle in the story of California's democratic system. The law already states when the election should be held and now judicial system is trying to sideline the entire democratic process because some machines are old? They've been used for years and now they are suddenly useless and "discriminate against minorities?" How very convenient for Davis.
Andy Koch, USA

130 candidates makes for a circus, not an election. It is obviously too easy for candidates to qualify to run for high political office in America. If the candidates had to sit an examination on civics, procedure, the law, and the rights and responsibilities of office, most, if not all, of the 130 would end up dropped out.
Robert Morpheal, Canada

The entire recall election has simply been a bogus power grab. Olene, USA

The entire recall election has simply been a bogus power grab. The recall process is being abused by the Republican Party. If this election does take place, it should be squeaky clean; or we will have a repeat of the Florida nightmare. It should be put off until every county in California is ready to have every voters' ballot correctly counted.
Olene, USA

Odd how the Republicans are only angry at the courts when it works to their political disadvantage. They weren't so angry when the Supreme Courts of Florida and of the United States conspired with the Governor and legislature of Florida and the Senate of the United States to steal the presidential election from Al Gore three years ago. At that time they pontificated about the rule of law. How times have changed.
Mark, USA

Just send all of the California ballots to Florida to be counted and it will complete the political farce!
Charles Gilbert, USA