Some of our Senate legislators think the fedgov should have a panel to 'make recommendations' and 'provide block grants' to the states in an effort to institute 'ongoing reform' of the election processes that the Constitution says must be controlled solely by the states. You can bet that where fedgov money goes, fedgov control follows. This is a very dangerous idea.
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Senators Propose New Election Agency
Published: 1-30-01
Author: P. Mitchell Prothero
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- A bipartisan group of lawmakers Tuesday proposed reforming the nation's current election procedures to avoid a repeat of last year's election debacle.
Sponsored by Senate Rules Committee Chairman Mitch McConnell and the ranking committee Democrat, Sen. Robert Torricelli, the bill establishes the Election Administration Commission to study the national voting system and make a series of recommendations.
McConnell pointed to the extended drama that revolved around the disputed presidential balloting last November in Florida as evidence the system needs reforming to ensure that every vote is counted.
"The goal of this legislation is simple: to ensure that no American is ever forced again to hear the phrases dimpled chad, hanging chad or pregnant chad," McConnell said. "The bill we are introducing today begins an important public discussion about how we can modernize current vote counting methods in every precinct across the nation."
McConnell and Torricelli were joined at a press conference by lawmakers from the House and Senate that support updating the technology used to count votes.
Torricelli, who represents New Jersey, pointed out that the public has better access to technology for trivial tasks than they do for things as important as elections.
"When Americans use better technology to get cash on every street corner than they use to elect the leader of their nation, it is time to take action," he said. "The controversy in Florida has shown that outdated equipment, such as the punch-card voting system or mechanical levers, are not only inaccurate and arcane, but can jeopardize the most important aspect of a democracy -- and that is confidence in the electoral process."
The bill combines the Federal Election Commission Office of Election Administration with the agencies responsible for disseminating absentee ballots to Americans living overseas. The new agency would also consult with local and state officials on practices, equipment and ballot issues. In the first year after passage, the office will also allocate an estimated $500 million to local and state governments to improve voting and counting equipment and operations. The language also promises an average of $100 million annually for maintaining the facilities and programs.
The most important element of the bill, however, said the sponsors and supporters, is its bipartisan nature. House Rules Committee Chairman David Drier, R-Calif., spoke in support of the bill and said that supporting it was not political, but democratic.
"This bill is not about the last election," he said. "It is about the next election."
The Voting Integrity Project, a non-partisan advocacy group on election rights, praised the bill in a statement from its chairman, Deborah Phillips. She hailed the block grant provisions that leave state ballot and voting procedures in place, while ensuring that the communities have the funds to update equipment and procedures. Phillips also noted that the bill provides ongoing reforms, not just a one-time infusion of cash.
=============================================
Senators Propose New Election Agency
Published: 1-30-01
Author: P. Mitchell Prothero
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- A bipartisan group of lawmakers Tuesday proposed reforming the nation's current election procedures to avoid a repeat of last year's election debacle.
Sponsored by Senate Rules Committee Chairman Mitch McConnell and the ranking committee Democrat, Sen. Robert Torricelli, the bill establishes the Election Administration Commission to study the national voting system and make a series of recommendations.
McConnell pointed to the extended drama that revolved around the disputed presidential balloting last November in Florida as evidence the system needs reforming to ensure that every vote is counted.
"The goal of this legislation is simple: to ensure that no American is ever forced again to hear the phrases dimpled chad, hanging chad or pregnant chad," McConnell said. "The bill we are introducing today begins an important public discussion about how we can modernize current vote counting methods in every precinct across the nation."
McConnell and Torricelli were joined at a press conference by lawmakers from the House and Senate that support updating the technology used to count votes.
Torricelli, who represents New Jersey, pointed out that the public has better access to technology for trivial tasks than they do for things as important as elections.
"When Americans use better technology to get cash on every street corner than they use to elect the leader of their nation, it is time to take action," he said. "The controversy in Florida has shown that outdated equipment, such as the punch-card voting system or mechanical levers, are not only inaccurate and arcane, but can jeopardize the most important aspect of a democracy -- and that is confidence in the electoral process."
The bill combines the Federal Election Commission Office of Election Administration with the agencies responsible for disseminating absentee ballots to Americans living overseas. The new agency would also consult with local and state officials on practices, equipment and ballot issues. In the first year after passage, the office will also allocate an estimated $500 million to local and state governments to improve voting and counting equipment and operations. The language also promises an average of $100 million annually for maintaining the facilities and programs.
The most important element of the bill, however, said the sponsors and supporters, is its bipartisan nature. House Rules Committee Chairman David Drier, R-Calif., spoke in support of the bill and said that supporting it was not political, but democratic.
"This bill is not about the last election," he said. "It is about the next election."
The Voting Integrity Project, a non-partisan advocacy group on election rights, praised the bill in a statement from its chairman, Deborah Phillips. She hailed the block grant provisions that leave state ballot and voting procedures in place, while ensuring that the communities have the funds to update equipment and procedures. Phillips also noted that the bill provides ongoing reforms, not just a one-time infusion of cash.