The United Kingdom is a bit occupied at the moment with the aftermath of the decision to leave the European Union. What will happen? Will the economy survive? What about passports and visas?
Well, yes, all of these are infinitely more important questions than the one I’m struggling with, but I absolutely have to know. How on earth did the United Kingdom count 33.5 million mailed-in and polling location ballots in less than 24 hours?
Now, I’m not doubting their ability to count the votes accurately when they’re being processed at the speed of light, rather I’m stuck on something else entirely. How is the County of San Diego still counting a fraction of the 285,000 provisional ballots from the June 7 primary election when all of England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland processed 33.5 million votes before going to sleep?
At the U.K.’s rate of processing ballots, San Diego would have been counted in less than a hour.
Before Thursday’s Brexit decision was reached, San Diego County could defend itself. Yes, counting ballots takes time. Yes, you’re busy. Yes, I’m sure counting ballots is not a first choice recreational activity when San Diego is having such nice weather. Yes, us non-city employees cannot possibly imagine how difficult it is to process such an enormous amount of ballots, but at some point you have to question the process.
It must not be that difficult or take that much time if several countries can account for all of their ballots in less than 24 hours. San Diego County cannot possibly be as busy as the entirety of the United Kingdom while deciding the future of their countries. If San Diego County wanted to get the job done and count their remaining 50,000 ballots in a timely manner, it might be wise to ask whomever was in charge of the elections in the United Kingdom. And save San Diego the continued embarrassment.