Stories Oceania

Why isn't Election Day a Holiday?

  November 4, 2008

As Americans queue up to wait for potentially hours to vote, observers from other countries are wondering why Election Day in the U.S. isn't a holiday. In many countries, voting is mandatory, and the day a holiday to ensure people are able to vote. Although some states do require that businesses give their employees time off to vote, many do not. Jillian C. York looks at reactions from Kenya and Australia.

America votes. American election officials sweat.

  November 4, 2008

A record number of voters in the United States will attempt to cast ballots in Tuesday's election, leading many to worry about the potential for chaos at polling stations across the country. International bloggers look at the problems and some possible solutions.

McCain on SNL: Funny Enough to Be President?

  November 3, 2008

Over the years, a number of US politicians have appeared on Saturday Night Live. From presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton to hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the famous late-night program has been an excellent platform for candidates to show their sense of humor. Bloggers comment on John McCain's latest appearance on the show.

Today's Faves: Dubai, Perth and Lima

  October 31, 2008

Voices without Votes continuously aggregates interesting links about the election from world bloggers. Our authors take turns picking their top 3 personal favorites every weekday. Today's picks take us to the United Arab Emirates, Australia and Peru.

International bloggers tackle polling

  October 28, 2008

For many of us, scanning poll results have become a fixture of politics. The media has long been criticized for covering elections much like a horse race instead of concentrating on issues and probing the mind of voters. Candidates often complain about the polls, too, especially when those results show them trailing. International bloggers weigh in.

Today's Faves: Pondering Palin from across the Pacific

  October 24, 2008

Voices without Votes continuously aggregates interesting links about the election from world bloggers. Our authors take turns picking their top 3 personal favorites every weekday. Although Sarah Palin’s star is no longer in the ascendancy, I decided to feature three Australian bloggers’ latest posts which touch on the aspiring Vice President. The fascination with her has continued unabated in the U.S. but many bloggers over here are having trouble taking her seriously. It's much easy to laugh or dismiss her as inept.

Today Faves: A Minority Leader, a Scorned Star and a Scattered McCain

  October 17, 2008

Voices without Votes continuously aggregates interesting links about the election from world bloggers. Our authors take turns picking their top 3 personal favorites every weekday. Today's picks take us to Madagascar and Australia, where one blogger asks us "would a relatively young candidate from a minority group with a new approach fare that well against an experienced politician labeled as a war hero in your own country?"

Cracking ACORN

  October 14, 2008

International bloggers have begun to file their opinions on ACORN, a 38-year-old community organizing group which registers voters across the United States that has come under attack for allegedly creating fraudulent voter registrations cards.