States Call for Voting Reforms

Part 2: Recommendations for state and local governments

More of this Feature • 2: What Congress Should Do    Join the Discussion "No matter how it's cut, unless you are an elector from the Electoral College, you're vote don't count in electing the President." KANAKA6 Read or Reply? "Keep the Electoral as it is, it has served us well and will continue to do so with few changes or improvements due to technology." SKATES134 Read or Reply?     Related Resources • Sup. Court Goes Bush • Voter Fraud Cases • Prayer of St. Chad • Why We Vote When • Electoral College Good • Electoral College Bad • If it Had Been a Tie?    From Other Guides • Still Too Close • Houston, a Problem • Eyes on Tallahassee  • Election Timeline • Newspapers React • Constitutional Law • The US Court System • Righting the Ship • Can Sup. Ct. Be Fair? • Back off FL Legislature! • Court Decision of 12/12    Elsewhere on the Web • Secretaries of State • Official Resolution • Florida Legislature • Florida Supreme Court • Fla. Elections Div.

Along with the four recommended actions on Congress, the Election Standards Task force of the National Association of Secretaries of State also recommended that state and local governments and election officials continue to work to:

1. Ensure non-discriminatory equal access to the elections system for all voters, including elderly, disabled, minority, military, and overseas citizens.
   
   
2. Encourage the adoption and enforcement of election day rules and procedures to ensure equal treatment of all voters;
   
   
3. Modernize the voting process as necessary, including voting machines, equipment, voting technologies and systems and implement well-defined, consistent standards for what counts as a vote throughout the election process ensuring accurate vote counts and minimal voter error;
   
   
4. Encourage states to adopt uniform state standards and procedures for both recounts and contested elections, in order to ensure that each vote is counted and to provide public confidence in the election results;
   
   
5. Provide elections officials with increased funding to implement the recommendations of this resolution;
   
   
6. Conduct aggressive voter education and broad-based outreach programs;
   
   
7. Expand poll worker recruitment and training programs by adopting the innovative practices of other states and localities, with the ultimate goal of providing a satisfactory election day experience for all voters;
   
   
8. Maintain accurate voter registration rolls with a system of intergovernmental cooperation and communication;
   
   
9. Enhance the integrity and timeliness of absentee ballot procedures;
   
   
10. Adopt and adhere to the Voluntary Federal Voting Systems Standards for Voting Systems;
    
    
11. Provide for continuous training and certification for election officials; and
    
    
12. Collect data and election information on a regular and consistent basis to provide a nexus for public consumption and systemic improvements.

Florida is one of several states that have already begun examining their election procedures. High on the list of priorities listed by the State Secretaries were: banning punch card ballot voting system, computerized ballots and voting, better voter identification, clear and consistent rules for recounts, clear definition of a "valid" vote and improved voter education.

The task force did not address the question of changing or abolishing the Electoral College System.

 

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