Leading State Officials Urge Reforms to Voting System

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leading state election officials, policymakers and experts meeting here this week called on state and federal governments to improve voter registration, expand early voting and better serve military and overseas voters. Their recommendations came at a major national conference, "Voting in America," sponsored by the Pew Center on the States' Make Voting Work initiative, in partnership with the JEHT Foundation.

Held at the Newseum, the conference, which concludes today, highlighted the growing momentum by state and local officials to:

-- Improve voter registration procedures. Participants agreed on the need
for changes in the current system and discussed reforms such as
automatic voter registration, integrating state registration systems,
and making registration more convenient.


"We need a new approach to voter registration that matches the reality of voters' lives in the 21st Century," said Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. "Instead of relying on the piecemeal system we have today, government has an opportunity to innovate and act affirmatively to ensure voter rolls are integrated and accurate."

-- Provide more opportunities for voting prior to Election Day.
Participants agreed that states and localities should expand
opportunities for early voting and improve absentee voting or other
alternative voting systems. In Florida, for example, voters had 15
days prior to Election Day to cast their votes.


"In Florida we operated from the assumption that the whole idea of having to vote within one 12-hour period on one particular day is antiquated," said Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning. "Now we need to take the next step and work with the legislature to create more flexibility in the selection of sites, and in the hours available for election supervisors during early voting."

-- Improve the voting system for military and overseas voters.
Participants discussed the difficulty of registering military and
overseas voters, and the complications of ensuring ballots are sent
and returned so that they can be counted. There was a consensus that
the system for military and overseas voters is broken and that
long-term and sustained improvements are needed.


"Our history of trying to fix military and overseas voting is one of the classic examples of band-aid upon band-aid upon band-aid," said Oregon State Election Director John Lindback. "We need to change the system so these voters have a fighting chance of getting their ballots back on time."

Representatives from both the Obama and McCain presidential campaigns agreed on the need to improve elections. Robert F. Bauer, who served as general counsel to the Obama campaign, recommended steps to measure the success of the election system by ranking the performance of states and localities and encouraging competition as a means for improvement. Bauer cited a forthcoming book, The Democracy Index; Why Our Election System is Failing, and How to Fix It (Heather K. Gerken; Princeton University Press) as a primer on how to improve the election process. Building on a model supported by PCS and the Pew Government Performance Project, the book highlights measures for ranking the performance of election systems with hard data and verified outcomes. Attendees also cited practices called for in Being Online, Data for Democracy, a Pew report issued through the Make Voting Work project that compares state performance.

Trevor Potter, who was counsel to the McCain campaign, spoke to the importance of reforming the system of voter registration. "It is clear that the current system of voter registration which relies on actions of individuals and private groups to put names on the registration rolls is flawed," said Mr. Potter. "Why isn't it a fundamental obligation of government to ensure comprehensive and accurate voter registration? Why don't we publish the voter registration rolls in advance of the election as many countries do so that voters can ensure the accuracy and integrity of the list?"

Make Voting Work, a project of the Pew Center on the States, seeks to foster an election system that achieves the highest standards of accuracy, accessibility, efficiency and security. The initiative examines the most pressing election problems, and undertakes and evaluates pilot projects and experiments designed to address them. This research will inform our efforts to identify effective solutions through changes in policies, practices and technology. Further information is available at pewcenteronthestates.org

The JEHT Foundation was established in April 2000. Its name stands for the core values that underlie the Foundation's mission: Justice, Equality, Human dignity and Tolerance. The Foundation focuses on criminal and juvenile justice, international justice, and fair and participatory elections. Working directly with states, in some cases in-depth, is a key part of the Foundation strategy to implement practical change related to its mission.

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Register for Change Bus Tour Continues Through North Carolina and Georgia

PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- After a successful kick-off tour through Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana last week, Governor Howard Dean continues his national voter registration efforts in North Carolina and Georgia Friday and Saturday. The tour builds on the overwhelming enthusiasm and voter turnout seen during the primaries as Democrats mobilize and organize voters for the fall election.

The cross country, "Register for Change," bus tour started in George Bush's backyard in Crawford, Texas, and will travel cross country heading into the Democratic Convention in Denver.

  FRIDAY, JULY 25

 Raleigh, NC
 REGISTER FOR CHANGE VOTER REGISTRATION EVENT IN RALEIGH
 North Carolina Democratic Party Headquarters
 220 Hillborough Street
 Raleigh, NC

 Event Time: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

 * For more information contact Caroline Ciccone at CicconeC@dnc.org.

 Greensboro, NC
 REGISTER FOR CHANGE VOTER REGISTRATION EVENT IN GREENSBORO
 Governmental Plaza
 Greene Street (between West Market and Washington)
 Greensboro, NC

 Event Time: 12:00 PM - 1:15 PM

 * For more information contact Caroline Ciccone at CicconeC@dnc.org.

 Charlotte, NC
 REGISTER FOR CHANGE VOTER REGISTRATION EVENT IN CHARLOTTE
 Margery Thompson Professional Development Center
 428 West Boulevard
 Charlotte, NC

 Event time 3:30 PM - 4:45 PM

 * For more information contact Caroline Ciccone at CicconeC@dnc.org.

 SATURDAY, JULY 26
 Savannah, GA
 REGISTER FOR CHANGE VOTER REGISTRATION EVENT IN SAVANNAH
 YMCA - West Broad Street
 1110 May St
 Savannah, GA

 Event Time: 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM

 * For more information contact Caroline Ciccone at CicconeC@dnc.org.

 Macon, GA
 REGISTER FOR CHANGE VOTER REGISTRATION EVENT IN MACON
 Macon Centreplex Parking Lot
 200 Coliseum Drive
 Macon, GA

 Event Time: 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

 * For more information contact Caroline Ciccone at CicconeC@dnc.org.

 Atlanta, GA
 REGISTER FOR CHANGE RALLY IN ATLANTA
 Georgia Freight Depot
 65 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive
 Atlanta, Georgia
 Event Time: 5:15 PM - 6:30 PM
 Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin will accompany Gov. Dean at the rally.
 * For more information contact Caroline Ciccone at CicconeC@dnc.org.

Defense Department Program Informs Overseas Voters

SNEN Note: Having the opportunity to cast your vote for the candidate of your choice is one of America's great gifts. If you have a loved one serving our nation overseas, be sure to read this story.

A Defense Department program is working to ensure overseas government employees, civilian contractors, servicemembers and their spouses have all the information they need to make their vote count.

Scott Wiedmann, deputy director and 15-year employee of the Federal Voting Assistance Program, said people deployed to combat or stationed overseas have numerous sources for registration and balloting information.

Every U.S. military installation and individual unit, as well as U.S. embassies, has voting assistance officers to help servicemembers and civilians. Information can also be found on the program's Web site at www.fvap.gov.

This year is particularly important because of the U.S. presidential election approaching in November, Wiedmann noted. "Every vote counts, and a vote in the U.S. is a very powerful vote, so people need to take advantage of it," he said. "Not to diminish the importance of any other country, but certainly, a vote for the U.S. president will have its effect on many issues. Policy decisions made by the U.S. government do have an effect on many other countries around the world."

Military members, especially, should take advantage of their vote, he said. "Their daily lives, their income, their living conditions and their retirement benefits are decided by Congress. So, they should certainly have a choice in who's representing them," he added.

Wiedmann encouraged people turning in absentee ballots to act as early as possible to ensure enough time for their ballots and registration requests to process. The earlier one starts the process, the more time election officials have to decide whether the applicant meets the jurisdiction requirements to vote, he explained. Early application allows enough time for such issues to be resolved, he added.

"As long as people get their ballot requests in at least 30 days before the election, no state will be too late," Wiedmann said. "Thirty days is the maximum timeline for registration and ballot requests."

The primary procedure for all 55 U.S. states and territories is to process registrations and ballots by mail, but many states are working with the Defense Department and allowing servicemembers and overseas voters to request by e-mail and fax, he said.

If voters don't receive their ballots in a timely manner, they can request backup ballots on the program's Web site as well as at every military installation and U.S. embassies worldwide, he added.

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
American Forces Press Service

Secretary Handel Reminds Citizens to Register to Vote for July 15 General Primary

Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel today reminded voters that the deadline to register to vote to be eligible to cast a ballot in the July 15, 2008 General Primary is Monday, June 16, 2008.

To register to vote in Georgia, you must be a citizen of the United States, a legal resident of Georgia and of the county in which you plan to vote, and at least 18 years old by Election Day. You may not register to vote if you are currently serving any sentence imposed by the conviction of a felony or judicially determined to be mentally incompetent.

Citizens who are not registered to vote in the county in which they reside must submit a voter registration application by the deadline in order to vote in the General Primary. Citizens that are registered to vote at a former address within the county where they reside are encouraged to submit a change of address card to their county registrar. Voters who are currently registered at the correct address do not need to submit a new voter registration application.

You can download and complete a voter registration application by visiting the 2008 Elections Center on the Secretary of State’s website: http://www.sos.ga.gov/elections/ElectionCenter08.htm.

You can also contact your local county registrars' office, public library, public assistance office, recruitment office, schools and other government offices for a mail-in registration form. Voter registration is offered when renewing or applying for a driver's license at any Georgia Department of Driver Services office. College students can obtain Georgia voter registration forms from their school registrar's office or from the office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Secretary Handel also reminds voters that Georgia law requires registered voters to show photo identification when voting in person. This photo identification requirement applies in the July 15 General Primary and all future elections. When voting absentee by mail, photo identification is not required.

Voters casting ballots in person, either through advance voting or on Election Day, will be required to show one of the following forms of acceptable photo ID when they vote:

· A Georgia driver’s license, even if expired;

· Any valid state or federal government issued photo ID, including a free Voter ID Card issued by your county registrar or Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS);

· Valid U.S. passport;

· Valid employee photo ID from any branch, department, agency, or entity of the U.S. Government, Georgia, or any county, municipality, board, authority, or other entity of this state;

· Valid U.S. military photo ID; or

· Valid tribal photo ID.


Voters who do not have a form of identification listed above are eligible to receive a free Georgia Voter ID from their county elections office. Voters who have questions are encouraged to call the Georgia Secretary of State’s Voter ID Hotline at (877) 725-9797 or visit our website at www.GaPhotoID.com.

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