Send the 2008 Election Protection Report to Congress and ask them to modernize our voter registration system

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From: Election Protection

Election Protection 2008: Helping Voters Today, Modernizing the System for Tomorrow

During the 2008 election cycle, Election Protection provided assistance to more than ½ a million voters through our 866-OUR-VOTE voter services hotline, our interactive web tools, and our extensive field programs. The stories of those voters, together with our extensive and on-going dialogue with hundreds of state and local election officials as well as the experience of our leaders, partners and volunteers on the ground form the basis for our preliminary report, Election Protection 2008: Helping Voters Today, Modernizing the System for Tomorrow.

As Election Protection’s report demonstrates, voters across the country still face unnecessary barriers to the polling place at each stage of the electoral process. Voters were turned away because they did not receive their absentee ballots or because poll workers did not understand the provisional balloting system. They stood in excruciatingly long lines and lost votes on malfunctioning voting machines. Cynical attempts to prevent eligible voters from casting a ballot through deceptive practices were reported in a disturbing number of states and took on a 21st century character, utilizing text messages, social networking sites like Facebook and email. But the single largest cause of the problems on and before Election Day is our antiquated and cumbersome voter registration system.

One of Election Protection’s leaders, Jonah Goldman, testified on Wednesday, March 11, 2009 in front of the Senate Rules Committee about the urgent need to reform our antiquated registration system. We’re starting to get Congress’ attention, but they have a lot on their plate. Our leaders need to hear from everyone who wants to see fair elections become a priority in Congress. Click here to send the 2008 Election Protection Report to Congress and ask them to act to modernize our voter registration system!

Click here to read the2008 Election Protection Report

Click here to readJonah Goldman's Testimony

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FairVote's Democracy Innovator Awards winners

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise.
From: FairVote

FairVote Announces Inaugural Democracy Innovator Awards

For Immediate Release: December 9, 2008 Contact: Rob Richie (301) 270-4616, rr@fairvote.org

FairVote, a national nonpartisan, nonprofit election reform and voting rights organization, yesterday announced the inaugural winners of its Democracy Innovator awards at the conclusion of a conference about innovative election reforms. FairVote will issue its Democracy Innovator annually in recognition of outstanding local, state and national leaders for their effective advocacy of innovative policies to improve our elections.

This year's 2008 winners are:

---National Reform: Senator Bill Nelson (FL) won for developing and introducing an omnibus package of needed electoral reforms that include direct election of the president and innovative ways to improve voter registration, secure elections and meaningful primaries. Sen. Nelson's legislative counsel Matt Nosanchuk accepted the award on behalf on Sen Nelson

---State Reform: Maryland state senator Jamin Raskin and Maryland state representative Sheila Hixson won for their leadership in Maryland in 2007 becoming the first state to adopt the National Popular Vote plan for presidential elections and for advancing several innovative proposals encouraging voter participation. Sen. Raskin accepted the award for himself and on behalf of Delegate Hixson.

---Local Reform: Shelby County (TN) commissioner and University of Memphis law professor Steven Mulroy won for his effective advocacy of instant runoff voting, which was supported this year by 71% of voters for future city elections in the City of Memphis, and for his ground-breaking law review articles about proportional voting systems and the Voting Rights Act. Commissioner Mulroy accepted the award.

"Each of these leaders has been a true inspiration to Americans across the country," said Rob Richie, executive director of FairVote. "They embody the spirit of innovation and bold leadership that defines our country."

FairVote is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that promotes such electoral reforms as universal voter registration; advance voter registration and civic learning for 16-year-olds; instant runoff voting for one-winner offices; the National Popular Vote plan for presidential elections; and proportional voting and redistricting reform for legislative elections. Musician and author Krist Novoselic heads FairVote's board, where he is joined by the New Yorker's Hendrik Hertzberg, former presidential candidate John B. Anderson, Advancement Project counsel Edward Hailes, Jr. and other reform leaders. For more information, contact Rob Richie at (301) 270-4616.

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Open up our democracy for more voter choices during election day

This is Bloggers Unite for Human Rights Day. Of course, human rights is a fundamental issue for people around the world every single day. It's a privilege to share with you All Things Reform's concerns in this particular day and age.

Democracy is very important in a nation's electoral process. Here, in the United States, the political system is dominated by only two parties: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. We must open up our democracy to allow more voices for citizen consideration during the primaries and on general election day.

Presently, for example, the presidential race is basically only between our two major political parties. In a couple of the latest several general elections, third party candidacies have influenced voting outcomes: Independent Ross Perot in 1992 and Green Party nominee Ralph Nader in 2000. The two-party-dominated electoral politics rendered these powerful candidacies weak, yet even they influenced the winner-take-all electoral system's results.

Our electoral system must allow more eligible candidacies from outside the Democratic and Republican parties a prominent place during election season. Effective solutions include general election ballot access in the states, Instant Runoff Voting, voluntary public financing of elections and Proportional Representation.

When the voter during election season contemplates the candidates in the various races, they must not be pressured into considering only the two philosophies of the major parties. More choice is good for the democratic process, for the people and for a vibrant republic.

For further information on electoral reform, please visit FairVote, at http://www.fairvote.org/.

Our nation and states need basic electoral reforms to open up our democracy

Today, I submitted a letter to the editor to my local newspaper here in Abilene, Texas. This is a time-honored method of promoting an issue with the local community. Of course, national newspapers and magazines are also great opportunities to send your letters.

Having 10 years experience in third party politics, I have first-hand knowledge of the difficulties candidates such as Ralph Nader have in getting a foot-hold in our democratic system. I believe that third parties would be a much more serious and effective force in government if various fundamental electoral reforms, such as redistricting, ballot access requirements, public financing of elections and Instant Runoff Voting are instituted in the states and in Washington, DC.

Here is my letter; it may be edited at the newspaper's discretion when and if they publish it.

Dear Editor,

I am appalled that, after Ross Perot's popular run for president in 1992, the Texas legislature still has not eased ballot access requirements for third parties or independents. The ruling Republican and Democratic parties in this state think it is not in their interest to allow more competitors for their offices. But what about the people? Don't they deserve a more open political system that encourages a broad debate on the many issues that we face each election? This year, progressive Ralph Nader is offering solutions to positions not ever considered by today's three major candidates. Let's help Ralph gain ballot access in the coming days by signing his petition and allow him and his running mate advocation of better ballot access laws.

David Weller

Make Voting Work initiative brings millions of dollars to electoral reforms

A large, private foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, is financially supporting election system reforms. Although the Help America Vote Act of 2002 was a major overhaul of electoral machines and other system problems in the aftermath of the 2000 Presidential elections, this is an effort to focus on additional problems. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts:

The Pew Center on the States’ Make Voting Work initiative and the JEHT Foundation today are joining with election experts and state and local officials across the country to address the most pressing problems facing voters during the 2008 elections. In partnership with the JEHT Foundation, Pew is awarding $2.5 million in funding to 16 projects that advance innovative solutions to critical flaws in our elections system and improve accuracy, convenience, efficiency and security for voters. An additional $1 million in funding will be awarded over the next six months. The projects were selected from 183 proposals submitted to Pew in 2007 from state and local governments and election experts.
Make Voting Work selected the 16 projects, which focus their work on five distinct areas where major failings have been identified and improvements are being debated and implemented by election officials, but where additional expertise is desired and necessary to shape and evaluate these efforts. These areas include:

Voter Registration System Assessment ($669,000)
Successful voter registration systems enable eligible citizens to vote without undue burden, secure our elections from those ineligible to participate and facilitate communication with voters. Yet, registration rolls are created from piecemeal data collected by local election officials, state motor vehicle agencies and other nonpartisan and partisan get-out-the-vote campaigns. As a result, rolls fail to keep pace with a mobile society and are often inaccurate and costly to maintain. ...

Vote Centers ($568,000)
States are increasingly grappling with the problem of overcrowded, inconveniently located and poorly designed polling places. In response, some states are experimenting with vote centers that replace neighborhood precincts and allow voters to cast ballots at large, centralized polling places anywhere in their city or county—near their work, school, shopping center or other destination. ...

Audits of Elections ($467,000)
With concerns about the accuracy of voting systems continuing to rise, post-election audit requirements have been adopted by states seeking to ensure the integrity of the electoral process. Still, state requirements vary dramatically and there are no generally accepted standards for how to verify an election outcome. Make Voting Work seeks to fill that void by funding the testing of multiple techniques for measuring the validity and accuracy of vote counts on various voting systems. In addition, Make Voting Work is supporting efforts to broaden the definition of an election audit, seeking to identify other elements—beyond vote counts—that should be audited, such as pre-election preparations and poll worker performance. ...

Online Training for Poll Workers ($318,000)
Volunteer poll workers are the foot soldiers of democracy, but, as recently documented by Pew’s electionline.org, their enthusiasm needs to be joined with proper training—particularly essential as voting systems and rules take on greater complexity. ...

Election Performance Assessment ($465,000)
To further help election officials, policy makers and the public assess the true impact of changes in policies, practices and technologies, Make Voting Work aspires to identify means that can be consistently applied to measure accuracy, convenience, efficiency and security. ...

Add your name to the verifiable paper trail voting cause

Common Cause has a fun way to show citizens' support for verifiable paper ballots for election day. Many states use electronic machines without the receipt, leaving no way to recount the "ballots". Take action here and leave your name, address, photo and short message on a U.S. map, and contribute with many others who feel the same way. Let's put "democracy" back into our electoral system!

Sign the VotersUnite.Org petition for better voting machines

VotersUnite.Org, a non-partisan promoter of fair and accurate elections, has a petition we can send to Congress concerning many of our election machines. We have developed a lack of trustworthiness in many of the new polling machines that have been installed in recent years. If you agree, please take action here. Here's what VotersUnite.Org has to say:

Take Action. It's time to call for accountability in the machinery of our
electoral system. Please sign the petition in support of VoterAction's call for
Congressional investigations into blatant and destructive commercial fraud in
the electronic voting machine industry.

FairVote's electoral reform news

Top news and updates from FairVote, as of September 5th:

Presidential Primary Reform: FairVote-backed American Plan draws support of New York Times [HERE] and NPR interview [HERE] with Rob Richie

Instant Runoff Voting: IRV makes the November ballot in Sarasota (FL), Aspen (CO), and Washington State counties [MORE INFO]

Proportional Representation: Canada's biggest province Ontario to vote on adoption of "mixed member" proportional voting on October 10. Please donate: [MORE INFO]

National Popular Vote: NPV plan may head to California ballot as a contrast with the undemocratic "congressional district" system -- see FairVote's critique of the district plan [READ MORE] and see Rob Richie's piece in the Austin American-Statesman [HERE].

Research: FairVote releases new congressional election analyses: Dubious Democracy 2007 [HERE] and Monopoly Politics [HERE].

Press: FairVote has a new feature: its weekly Innovative Analysis series, featuring revealing statistics and insightful commentary [HERE].

President Bush signs Congressional pension reform bill!

The National Taxpayers Union, who led a grassroots activist campaign, announces victory.

Dear David,
Last year, we told you about how the more than 20 former Members of Congress who had been convicted of serious offenses were allowed to keep drawing benefits from a lavish, taxpayer-funded pension system.
It's bad enough that taxpayers have to cough up for a pension program whose payments are far more generous than what similarly-paid workers in the private sector typically receive, but we thought that handing this cash over to criminals was just wrong.
Thousands of taxpayers joined us in expressing outrage over this matter by sending "no pensions for Congressional felons" letters to their representatives in Washington, D.C.
Thanks to your demands for change, WE GOT IT!
Last week, President Bush signed a bill that contains a version of the "no pensions for Congressional felons" reform we sought.
From here on out, Members of Congress who commit certain felonies (like perjury, bribery, or fraud) related to their official duties won't be allowed to draw from a Congressional pension "honey-pot" that overtaxed American workers are forced to fill.
While the new law doesn't go quite as far as our request for automatically denying taxpayer-funded retirement benefits to a Representative or Senator convicted of any felony, during or after Congressional service, it is a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT to the current law that lets criminals like "Duke" Cunningham and Dan Rostenkowski collect cash from you and me.
Thank you for helping to change things for the better in Washington. You deserve a huge pat on the back!
With many thanks,
John Berthoud, President, National Taxpayers Union

Uniformity in petitioning laws eases multi-state political campaigns

Ballot Access News reports on the petitioning efforts by the Iowa Green and Libertarian Parties so they can be included in their state's voter registration forms as unqualified parties. This petitioning law is different among many states across the nation.

Each state in the U.S. has it's own set of election laws, and practically every state is unique in that respect. Ballot access rules are different; this makes national petitioning campaigns of minor political parties for several states very difficult over any election cycle.

In these and perhaps other instances, uniformity amongst the states in electoral laws would be preferable to today's variety. Having practically the same petitioning laws across the country, for example, will help the present two-party dominant political system in place today become more competitive. It would also ease the petitioning campaigns of independent presidential candidates seeking ballot access across the country.

IRV Instant Runoff Voting is today's solution of representation

If you've ever been in a neighborhood restaurant at 6:30 in the morning, you would have probably met several men sharing coffee and a table; this is a ritual that usually includes the discussion of politics, in addition to the weather, local football, etc. And often when talking politics, there is a consensus about the poor quality of our representatives in Washington, DC.

Of course they aren't entirely serious, and they may be male-bonding a bit, but this is the conventional wisdom with today's presidential candidates in both major parties; we are disgruntled that big money raising events have lifted a few of our candidates to the "top tier", and that that has already lifted to the top of the polls those who will likely win their respective parties' nominations next year.

There are solutions available to voters for this dilemma, however. FairVote is a national organization that promotes electoral reforms, including IRV (Instant Runoff Voting). With IRV, you can rank all of the candidates on the ballot based on your preference-- this eliminates the time and money for runoff elections, but, more importantly, breaks the "winner-take-all" system in place today. There is a growing recognition in all levels of government to the value of this alternative to today's nasty and vitriolic campaigns among all candidates.

FairVote also promotes "proportional representation", "universal voter registration" and other improvements in the quality of America's electoral system. IRV is today's hottest reform, allowing we the people a closer and more honest representation from our future elected officials.

Have courage, candidates-- call yourselves 'ethical'

We must turn the tide of loopholes and trickery in our candidates' election campaigns if we are to call ourselves truly "democratic". Instead of "abusing the letter" of our campaign finance laws, we must "align with the spirit" of those laws. True leadership involves honesty and accountability; you can't have that if you "work the system" for your own campaign's own short-term benefit. If we want to elect true leaders for our elective offices, we must recognize the honesty and accountability of ethical campaigns.

Vote for more than just "the lesser of two evils"!

Joel S. Hirschhorn has just published an informative analysis on political reform-- it concerns the common practice, during a low voter turnout, of voting for "the lesser of two evils". It's conventional wisdom for people on general election day to vote against the more "evil" candidate, by voting for only an alternative major candidate. Most of those times, there are just the two nominees from the major political parties-- a Democrat and a Republican-- that are on the ballot, as well.

As a former National Press Secretary for the Reform Party, I'm well aware of the self-fulfilling prophesy that is the two-party system in these United States. Ultimately, voters should select candidates in the primaries and on general election day who are honest and accountable, and who are qualified for each of the respective open seats; this applies to all of levels of government, from the local to federal. And, the duopolistic major parties should present to the people their most qualified candidates, who are honest and accountable, as well as the minor parties such as the Libertarians, the Green Party and the Constitution Party.

Mr. Hirschhorn has a book out right now as well, entitled "Delusional Democracy: Fixing the Republic Without Overthrowing the Government". It promotes several political reforms which, put together, conditions our electoral system for cleaner, more responsible elections.