Report calls for uniform standards in election process

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Aug 10, 2001 by Marie Price The Journal Record

A national panel co-chaired by the former secretary of the State Election Board has released its report calling for uniform standards for conducting elections to help restore confidence in the electoral process following last year's closest-ever presidential election.

The task force is also calling for a U.S. Justice Department investigation into allegations by the U.S. Civil Rights Commission that during Election 2000 the ballots of black voters were thrown out in disproportionate numbers. In June the commission said that more than half of rejected votes were cast by blacks, who made up only 10 percent of voters. There were also reports of harassment of black voters in Florida. It recommends that investigators be advised by the Civil Rights Commission, political party representatives and election administrators in the affected jurisdictions.

A Justice Department spokesperson said that complaints of voting discrimination have been and continue to be investigated as they are filed.

Recently retired after 13 years with Oklahoma's election board, Lance Ward co-chaired the Election Center's National Task Force on Election Reform. The other co-chair was Alan Davidson, county clerk from Marion County, Ore.

Ward has frequently emphasized that statewide uniform standards are the foundation for elections in Oklahoma, and set it apart from most other states.

Many states are like Florida, which has 67 counties with as many different ways of conducting elections. However, all 77 of Oklahoma's counties use one statewide set of uniform standards.

"This report has 80 specific, detailed, comprehensive recommendations for election reform, many of which can be implemented by election officials without action by legislature or by Congress," said Ward. "Therefore, I think this document has the greatest potential for actual change than any of the other reports and studies I've seen."

The report includes recommendations for:

* A stronger federal role in elections and for national standards for election equipment and operational practices.

* Uniform standards for counting and recounting ballots.

* Standard election certification schedules.

* Uniform standards in each state for determining valid ballot markings.

* More voting alternatives, such as extended voting periods (weekends, several days prior to an election, expanded absentee and by-mail balloting, making presidential election day a national holiday).

* More public education about voter registration and voting.

It does not call for a national election system, a particular type of voting system, a uniform poll-closing time or unsecured Internet voter registration or voting. It did does recommend that the news media refrain from projecting presidential election night results until 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The task force was composed of 37 election officials from across the nation.