Page 1 of 1

Election Reform: Donna Brazile« Thread Started on Dec 22, 20

PostPosted: Thu Jan 26, 2012 10:24 am
by admin
Election Reform: Donna Brazile« Thread Started on Dec 22, 2004, 3:14pm »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Election Reform: Donna BrazileOn November 2, millions of Americans turned out to make their voices heard. Voters throughout America should be applauded for braving long lines and confusion at the polls in order to exercise their most precious freedom.Despite the enactment of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), little has changed since the disputed 2000 general election in Florida. Only a handful of states have replaced their old voting systems. Few states have improved the training of poll workers and updating registered voter lists. Election officials were woefully unprepared for record numbers of voters. Student voters experienced roadblocks and intimidation tactics when registering to vote in their campus communities. Members of minority groups and new citizens encountered intimidation at the polls, with demands for identification that exceeded legal requirements. Much confusion remains over regulations for counting provisional ballots cast by voters who, for one reason or another, were not on the active voter list at the precinct where they voted.Americans must renew the call for dramatic reformation of our electoral system. The following changes should be mandatory priorities:Ease the rules on voter registration. Provide quality training to poll workers. Provide voter education as to how to cast one's ballot and where to vote. Adoption of "no excuse required" legislation for absentee voting. Require a verifiable paper audit for all electronic voting machines. Develop standardized procedures for counting provisional ballots. Allow college students greater access to the polls. Develop procedures to ensure that all eligible voters living overseas can have their votes counted. Make voter suppression a legal offense. Ease the process for ex-offenders to be reinstated on voter registration lists. President Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed the historic Voting Rights Act, said "Voting is the first duty of a democracy." It's not only our duty; it is a responsibility we all share.Please send ideas or comments on election reform in your states to donna@brazileassociates.com.