 National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C. Vol. 33, No. 23 * December 10, 2001 Previous story | Table of Contents | Next story In My Opinion... An Opportunity for Election Reform By Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, Lloyd Cutler, and Bob Michel
This is a challenging time for our country, both at home and abroad, so we are pleased to have some good news in this holiday season. Congress and the President are making real progress in enacting sound and comprehensive legislation for national election reform. Early this year, in the aftermath of the 2000 election, we became the chairs of a privately funded National Commission on Federal Election Reform. This commission brought together veteran politicians and outstanding scholars from across the political spectrum to consider ways to improve and strengthen our election system. After holding hearings around America and consulting hundreds of experts, we developed a set of specific proposals that we presented to the country in July at a ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House. President George W. Bush warmly endorsed our report, and although understandably preoccupied with the ongoing war against terrorism, Congress is taking action. The House Administration Committee has unanimously approved a bill, HR 3295, entitled the Help America Vote Act. The lead sponsors are Congressmen Bob Ney (R-Ohio) and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). The bill has more than 140 cosponsors from both parties, including Republican leaders like Deputy Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and several leaders of the Congressional Black and Hispanic caucuses. Our commission’s most important recommendations are fully adopted in this bill. Minimum federal standards will ensure statewide voter registration systems networked to local jurisdictions, provisional balloting, voting equipment that will minimize errors, and uniform statewide definitions of what constitutes a vote for each kind of voting machine. A new agency will recommend comprehensive federal voting system standards, and adequate funding is authorized to help state and local jurisdictions reform the system. The federal role is balanced by a sound and sensitive partnership with state and county governments, earning the endorsement of both the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Conference of State Legislatures. In other words, last year’s election crisis is turning into a hopeful story of how government can sometimes respond — even on a bitterly contentious issue. We (and other groups) came up with our best ideas for reform. The president listened and endorsed them. Congress studied an array of proposals, and a significant number of members are cooperating in a spirit of bipartisan harmony. It is almost inevitable that some Democrats in the House and Senate, and some civil rights organizations may worry that the bill does not go far enough, while some other members may think it goes too far. But the bill now moving through the House includes wonderful proposals for election reform, and the Senate may further perfect the legislation. With the exception of the Civil Rights laws of the 1960s, this bill could provide the most important improvements in our democratic election system in our lifetimes. House leaders are now considering action on the Help America Vote Act before the Christmas recess. A favorable vote would be a welcome holiday present for the American people. |