*** Democracies Online Newswire - http://www.e-democracy.org/do *** ------- Forwarded message follows ------- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Democracy Dispatches, Number 6 Date sent: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 21:59:53 GMT Democracy Dispatches, Number 6 August 15, 2001 Democracy Dispatches is a regular Demos publication that tracks and analyzes legislative and political developments on democracy issues across the states. Our goal is to facilitate the creation of a diverse, inclusive, and national pro-democracy movement by supporting state reform efforts and networking pro-democracy advocates, policy institutions, and policymakers with each other. We welcome any news items that you think should be part of future publications. Please contact us via email: [EMAIL PROTECTED], or call Joe Lowndes at (212) 633-1405, ext. 215. Please Note: We are working on a new format for Democracy Dispatches. PDF, HTML, and text-only versions will be available in the coming month. Recent Commission and Task Force Reports: Over the summer, a number of major commissions and task forces that were created after the 2000 election debacle produced their final reports. Many of the reports cover similar ground, recommending that the federal government provide substantial funding to the states for the improvement of voting technology and process; while calling on the states to provide provisional ballots, post notices of voter rights and responsibilities, centralize voting lists, and standardize ballots. Significantly, some of the reports have called for the restoration of rights to ex-offenders. Also notable is that none of the reports call for federal mandates to oversee election reform, which many reformers see as a major obstacle in achieving substantive reforms. Constitution Project's Forum on Election Reform: The Constitution Project's Forum on Election Reform released its final report on election reform on August 2, as well as its recommendations for Congressional action. The report, Building Consensus for Election Reform sets out recommendations for local, state and federal action. The Forum is made up of a very ideologically diverse group of over sixty participating organizations and individuals, including civil rights groups, voter advocacy groups, elections officials and experts on law and technology. The report offers a broad set of recommendations for government action at the federal, state and local levels, which endorsing organizations hope will have bipartisan appeal. The report asserts that essential elements of reform include: * voter education and personnel training; * voting technology research, standards, testing and clearinghouses of information about voting systems; * improved registration systems; * adequate accessibility and staffing of polling stations; * posted notices of voter rights and responsibilities; * provisional balloting; * technologies for accurate vote casting; * clear criteria for what defines a vote; and * standardized recount procedures. The recommendations for Congressional action, compiled in a separate document, have been endorsed by a broad range of groups and individuals, including the American Council of the Blind; Common Cause; AARP; Demos; the Secretaries of State of Kansas, Vermont, and Washington; and the National Association of Counties. It urges Congress to provide authority and funding for technology assistance and standards development, capital investment in voting technology, and a permanent program to defray the expense of federal elections. To view the report and the recommendations for Congressional action, go to http://ga1.org/ct/e7qP1x511pzY/constitutionproject . National Commission on Election Reform The National Commission on Federal Election Reform has released its report, To Assure Pride and Confidence in the Electoral Process. Also known as the Carter/Ford Commission because of the leading role played by those two former U.S. Presidents, the Commission has on it a number of other national political leaders from both major parties. It was funded by the Knight, Hewlett and Packard Foundations, and managed by the Century Foundation and the Miller Center for Public Policy at the University of Virginia. Briefly, it recommends the following reforms: * States should adopt computerized voter registration lists; * States should permit provisional voting; * States should adopt uniform standards for recounts and error rates; * Congress should provide 1-2 billion for modernization of election administration on a matching basis to the states; * Congress and states should intensify enforcement of civil and voter rights; and * News organizations should not predict winners in any state while polls are open anywhere in the 48 contiguous states. Notably, the report also called for the restoration of voting rights to ex-felons, and to make election day a national holiday. To view the report, go to http://ga1.org/ct/d7qP1x511pzF/reformelections . Election Center Commission National Task Force on Elections Reform: The Election Center, a non-profit organization whose membership is comprised of local and state election officials, announced the findings of its Election Reform Task Force in July. The report generally addresses technical and administrative questions concerning: * standardization of votes and vote counting and re-counting; * uniform ballot instructions; * easing restrictions on overseas, military voting and absentee balloting; and * improving pay for poll workers and requiring federal employees to serve as poll workers. It also calls for the restoration of voting rights to all ex-offenders. To view the report, go to http://ga1.org/ct/epqP1x511pzT/electionreformreport . National Association of Secretaries of State Election Standards Task Force: The National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) presented its Resolution on Election Reform at its Summer Conference in Little Rock, AR on July 17. Among its recommendations, NASS proposes that the federal government: provide major funding assistance to state and local election officials in block grants for training, education and technology; and create an "Elections Class" of postage rated at 50% of normal rate for election materials. To view the whole Resolution, go to http://ga1.org/ct/d1qP1x511pzH/NASS . NASS has also produced a state-by-state Election Reform Best Practices Report. It can be viewed at http://ga1.org/ct/ddqP1x511pzG/NASSReformReport . Caltech-MIT Voting Technology Project: Two of the premier technical universities in the country produced a study that looked at the technological processes and voting systems in place during the 2000 election, and how these affected the counting and tabulation of the vote. Their report, What It Is, What It Could Be, was released on July 16, 2001. Its main conclusions were that between four and six million votes were lost in the 2000 election, by far the highest estimate thus far. To remedy this major problem, the report recommends that the states: * update voting technologies and the eliminate punch cards and lever machines; * expand the use of statewide computerized voting lists; and * use provisional ballots. The report calls on the federal government to: * invest in research and development of new voting equipment technologies, and * establish an independent federal agency to speed up and oversee testing and to collect and distribute information on the performance and cost of existing and new equipment. A full report can be found at http://ga1.org/ct/dpqP1x511pz-/votecaltech . Election Reform News Federal: The Senate Rules Committee approved an election reform bill (S. 565) sponsored by Committee Chair Christopher Dodd (D-CT). Rep. John Conyers (D- MI) introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives. While all ten Democrats on the Committee approved the bill; nine Republicans on the panel boycotted the meeting at the behest of ranking Republican member Mitch McConnell (R-KY). McConnell was angered that the Committee did not consider his bill, which is co-sponsored by Senators Schumer (D-NY), Brownback (R-KS) and Torricelli (D-NJ). The Dodd bill, called the "Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act," differs significantly from McConnell's bill by imposing certain federal mandates on the states irrespective of whether they accept federal funds. These include allowing voters the opportunity to study sample ballots before Election Day, providing provisional ballots on the day of elections, and assuring that there are no barriers to the full exercise of voting rights at polling sites. The Dodd bill also calls for mandatory requirements for voter protections and administrative improvements. The bill will not be debated by the full Senate until the fall, so compromises are possible. AP Online, 8/2/2001; Washington Post, 8/3/2001 The Democratic Caucus Special Committee on Election Reform held its sixth and final hearing on August 11 in Los Angeles, CA. The Special Committee, chaired by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), was formed after the 2000 elections. A number of common themes discussed during the hearing included the need for an Election Day holiday, increased funding to update voting machines, national standards for counting votes, and the need for provisional ballots. Some of the panelists included Bob Hertzburg, Speaker of the California Assembly; Dan Tokaji, American Civil Liberties Union Legal Counsel; Steve Reyes, from the Mexican American Legal and Education Defense Fund; and Michael Alvarez from the CalTech-MIT Voting Technology Project, among others. The committee plans to release a report based on its findings in late August or early September. AP State & Local Wire, 8/12/2001; Los Angeles Times, 8/12/2001 The report issued by the National Commission on Federal Election Reform has been met with criticism by several groups, such as the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), and a number of veterans groups. The CBC and CHC believe that the Commission's recommendations are a good beginning but are ultimately meaningless unless Congress mandates them. The report does not take a stand on whether Congress should set requirements for states to follow. The CBC has election reform as their top priority, calling it the civil rights issue of the 21st century. The PVA took exception with the Commission's conclusion that current laws are "sufficient to encourage continued progress" in creating accessible voting sites for the disabled. A Federal Election Commission (FEC) report found that 14% of precincts or nearly 20,000 were not accessible to voters with disabilities. In 1996, there was a 30% voter turnout rate among registered voters with disabilities, as compared to 50% for the general public. Many with disabilities have used absentee ballots, curbside voting, or the assistance of another person as a substitute for voting privately within polling booths. As PVA National President Joseph L. Fox declared, "We believe this requires legislation that goes beyond current law." The Commission report also proposed to move Election Day to Veteran's Day to give people a day off to vote. Veterans groups oppose this suggestion, citing strong grass-roots opposition to the recommendation. National and state veterans groups opposed a similar measure earlier this year, introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX). St. Petersburg Times, 8/1/2001; US Newswire, 8/1/2001; Dallas Morning News, 8/3/2001 Common Cause President Scott Harshbarger announced August 3 that the organization would start a nationwide, citizen advocacy campaign to pass and implement election reform at the national and state levels, based on the recommendations of the National Commission on Federal Election Reform. An advisory group of Common Cause board members and staff will act as a guiding force to help in mobilizing local and national grassroots efforts, as well as with lobbying tactics for reform. Common Cause, 8/3/2001 In the states: California The Mexican American Legal and Defense and Educational Fund and the William C. Velasquez Institute have produced a redistricting plan for California that aims to encompass more of the Latino population and boost their representation in federal, state and local elected offices. According to the latest census numbers, the Latino population increased by 43% over the past ten years, making them 31% of California's total population in 2000. The plan would create three new congressional districts in which Latinos account for 47-69% of the population. AP State and Local Wire, 7/17/2001 Florida The Florida Equal Voting Rights Project, composed of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, Florida Justice Institute, and Florida Legal Services, has charged that the new election laws passed during the 2001 session would "return minority voters to Jim Crow days." The group has three objections: * The law requires that officials post a list of 10 voter responsibilities, one of which states that voters "study and know candidates and issues. " The Project sees this as a modern day version of a literacy test. * They claim that the purging process puts unfair burdens on county supervisors to determine voter eligibility, given the a lack of statewide standards. Voters also have to prove that they are not felons in order to vote, which they hold will unfairly burden voters. * The new provisional ballot system does not apply to instances where a person casts a vote in the wrong precinct, which they claim would adversely affect minority voters who are statistically more likely to move than whites. The Justice Department is currently reviewing all of the new election provisions under the Voting Rights Act, and is expected to issue a decision by mid-August. Miami Herald, 7/22/2001 Massachusetts The Massachusetts House passed a bill that would further disenfranchise the state's prison population. Voters approved a ban last year that stripped incarcerated felons of statevoting rights in elections for the state Senate, House of Representatives and statewide offices, such as governor. This bill, if approved, would expand the prohibition to presidential and congressional races, as well local elections. The bill is now before the state Senate. AP State and Local Wire, 7/18/2001 North Carolina The Governor signed a series of election reform-related bills into law on July 28. One law will ban butterfly and punch card ballot use. Another will require Spanish language ballot instructions in any county or municipality where Latinos account for at least 6% of the population. Two other statutes will allow voters to be able to register to vote and to make address changes for polling place designation via fax. A fifth law makes changes to state election administration, such as the creation of permanent voter registration numbers and lengthening the certification period for election officials to include training in election laws and procedures, as well as passing a proficiency examination. On August 3, the governor signed a law that removes an excuse requirement for voting by absentee ballot. Oregon The legislature sent the governor a bill that would direct the Secretary of State, along with the county clerks and officials to study the necessity of providing voting ballots in Spanish and languages other than English. If the study finds that bi- or multi-lingual ballots are needed, the Secretary must also submit recommendations for making such ballots available. Statenet, 7/5/2001 With the 2001 legislature failing to agree on a bipartisan plan for legislative district boundaries, the task was passed to Secretary of State Bill Bradbury. Bradbury produced a first draft plan that takes into account the growing Latino population, now the largest minority group within the state at 8%. The proposal would create a new district with about a 40% Latino population, drawing acclaim from Latino activists. Bradbury has held a series of 21 public hearings from July 21 to August 3, with a final plan to be announced August 15. AP Press State & Local, 7/16/2001 The Governor signed into law a bill that directs the Secretary of State to create and implement a centralized voter registration system for the state, with oversight by the Joint Legislative Committee on Information Management and Technology. Statenet, 7/20/2001 Oregon's legislature failed to pass a measure that would end punch card balloting still used in seven Oregon counties during the 2001 session. Forty percent of the state's residents reside in these counties. The state Democratic Party has vowed to present the punch card ban as a ballot initiative. The measure will not be presented in time to effect the 2000 elections. National Journal Hotline, 7/24/2001; Oregonian, 7/27/2001 Rhode Island Two bills became law without the Governor's signature. The first law directs the Secretary of State to update the Central Voter Register in every odd-numbered year. The second bill would require cities and towns where 5% of the population speaks a language other than English to provide ballots in that language, in addition to providing at least one poll worker who is fluent in those languages. Statenet, 7/13/2001 Tennessee Both houses passed "The 2000 Presidential Election Debacle Reform Bill of 2001," sending it to the Governor on August 8. The measure does several things related to election procedures and administration. It directs the state coordinator of elections and the state election commission to approve all voting machine purchases made by a county, and to re-examine all presently used machines before the 2002 elections and at least every eight years thereafter. The bill also sets guidelines for validating punch card, paper and optical scan ballots, and directs county election officials to post instructions in their use. The bill sets recounting procedures as well. It now awaits the Governor's signature. Statenet, 8/8/2001 Upcoming Events September 12: Election Reform and Vote Fraud Prevention Seminar, Jefferson City, MO. The Opposition Parties Election Reform Alliance will hold a Real Election Reform and Vote Fraud Prevention Seminar at the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda. Go to the website at for more information. You may also contact Marvalene Pankey, National Coordinator at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or call 417-876-4626 (prior to 9 a.m. central time). September 14-15: Progressive Policy Solutions for the Northeast. Braintree, MA. This forum, sponsored by the Center for Policy Alternatives, Northeast Action, Demos, and Democracy Works, will bring together state legislators, policy experts and advocates from ten Northeastern states to examine the 2001 legislative session, develop progressive policy solutions and strategies for 2002, and share innovative information, programs and policy models that are working across the Northeast. The forum will have a broad focus, including election reform, economic policy, education, health care, and family and work issues. For more information contact: Diallo Brooks at (202) 956-5150 or [EMAIL PROTECTED] September 20-22: Southern Regional Council Conference, Atlanta, GA. Workshops will include Achieving Voter Equity and Building Multiracial Partnerships. For more information, contact Ellen Spears at (404) 522-8791, ext. 5. -------------------------------------------------- If you would like to unsubscribe from this list, respond to this email with "REMOVE" as the subject line. You may also update your account settings or unsubscribe by visiting clip *********************************** Powered by GetActive Software, Inc. The Leader in Online Campaigns http://www.getactive.com *********************************** ------- End of forwarded message ------- ^ ^ ^ ^ Steven L. 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