时代周刊:选票争夺战(1)

The Battle for the Ballot¹

选票争夺战

By Vera Bergengruen

文/维拉·伯根鲁恩

Voter-access laws may determine elections in 2020 and beyond

2020乃至之后的选举将如何上演 答案或许就在选民准入法规里

The winner of the 2020 presidential election will depend not only on who votes but also on who doesn't.

2020年总统选举究竟会花落谁家？答案不仅取决于谁投了票，还取决于谁没有投票。

Four years after 77,744 ballots² in three states gave the White House to Donald Trump³,

四年前，三个州的77744张选票将唐纳德·特朗普送进了白宫，

state lawmakers are battling over voting rules that will determine whether millions of Americans get a chance to cast a ballot in November.

四年后，由于事关数百万美国人是否有机会在11月照常投票，州议员们就投票规则展开了激烈的讨论。

So far this year, 29 states have introduced at least 188 bills to expand voting rights

今年以来，美国已有29个州提出至少188项扩大选举权的法案，

by making registration⁴ and absentee voting easier, and by restoring the vote to former felons⁵.

具体做法包括简化选民登记及缺席投票的程序、恢复前重刑犯的投票权等。

At the same time, legislators in 15 mostly Republican states have introduced at least 35 bills that would make it harder to vote,

另一方面，无党派机构布伦南正义中心的分析显示，

according to an analysis by the non-partisan⁶ Brennan Center for Justice,

还有15个共和党居多的州的立法人员提出了至少35项加大投票难度的法案，

often by imposing⁷ stricter voter-identification requirements.

具体办法主要是提高对选民身份认证的要求。

Key Electoral College states like Florida and Virginia are among those still grappling with questions about ballot access.

其他一些州，包括佛罗里达、弗吉尼亚等选举人团的关键州则在苦苦应付有关参选权的问题。

With the presidency⁸ and control of Congress on the line,

由于事关总统大位和国会控制权，

"This could make or break the election," says Paul Smith, vice⁹ president of the Campaign Legal Center.

用竞选法律中心副总裁保罗·史密斯的话说就是，“选举成败在此一举”。

In 2018, Florida voters approved an amendment¹⁰ to restore the vote to 1.4 million people with felony convictions,

2018年，佛罗里达州选民曾投票支持通过修正案，恢复140万被判重罪的人的投票权，

a move celebrated¹¹ by backers as the biggest voting-rights win in recent U.S. history.

在支持者们看来，这一举措无异于美国近代史上推动投票权进程中取得的最大胜利。

But more than a year later,

然而，时间过去了一年多，

its implementation¹² remains¹³ mired¹⁴ in partisan legal battles over the Florida supreme¹⁵ court's ruling

这一法案一直因党派纷争未能落地，原因在于佛罗里达州最高法院已经裁定，

that felons have to pay back all fines and fees related to their convictions before being granted the right to vote.

恢复重罪犯的投票权之前，重罪犯必须先偿清所有与定罪有关的罚款和费用。

While a clause in the law allows those fees to be waived¹⁶, it is mainly being used in Democratic-leaning counties.

尽管该法案中有一项条款规定允许免除有关费用，但到目前为止，应用这一法案的大多是偏民主党的郡县。

And as Florida's March 17 presidential primary gets closer,

佛罗里达州3月17日总统初选已经日益临近，

local election officials say they still have not received guidance on how to handle ex-felons' registrations¹⁷.

当地选举官员却表示，他们至今尚未收到如何处理重罪犯登记的指示。

1 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。

2 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》

3 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

4 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

5 felons   

n.重罪犯( felon的名词复数 )；瘭疽；甲沟炎；指头脓炎

参考例句：

• Aren't those the seats they use for transporting convicted felons? 这些坐位不是他们用来押运重犯的吗？ 来自电影对白
• House Republicans talk of making felons out of the undocumented and those who help them. 众议院共和党议员正商议对未登记的非法移民以及包庇他们的人课以重罪。 来自互联网

6 partisan   

adj.党派性的；游击队的；n.游击队员；党徒

参考例句：

• In their anger they forget all the partisan quarrels.愤怒之中，他们忘掉一切党派之争。
• The numerous newly created partisan detachments began working slowly towards that region.许多新建的游击队都开始慢慢地向那里移动。

7 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

8 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

9 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

10 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

11 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

12 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

13 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

14 mired   

abbr.microreciprocal degree 迈尔德（色温单位）v.深陷( mire的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The country was mired in recession. 这个国家陷入了经济衰退的困境。
• The most brilliant leadership can be mired in detail. 最有才干的领导也会陷于拘泥琐事的困境中。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 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。

16 waived   

v.宣布放弃( waive的过去式和过去分词 )；搁置；推迟；放弃（权利、要求等）

参考例句：

• He has waived all claim to the money. 他放弃了索取这笔钱的权利。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I waived the discourse, and began to talk of my business. 我撇开了这个话题，开始讲我的事情。 来自辞典例句

17 registrations   

n.登记( registration的名词复数 )；登记项目；登记（或注册、挂号）人数；（管风琴）音栓配合（法）

参考例句：

• In addition to the check-in procedures, the room clerks are customarily responsible for recording advance registrations. 除了办理住宿手续外，客房登记员按惯例还负责预约登记。 来自辞典例句
• Be the Elekta expert for products registrations in China. 成为在中国注册产品的医科达公司专家。 来自互联网