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oterGuides
ProgressiveVoterGuideto
democracyandelections
ProgressiveVoterGuidetodemocracyandelections
Voter Guide to Democracy and Elections
Americandemocracyisbothvibrantanddeeplyimperiledin2008.AsmillionsofAmericanspayat-
tentiontothepresidentialcampaign,withthousandsvolunteeringinbattlegroundstates,thereisno
doubtAmericansareconcernedandengaged.However,thefoundationofourrepresentativedemoc-
racy,thevotingprocessandpublictrustinelections,isthreatenedinunprecedentedways.America’s
democraticinfrastructure--thewaywevoteandcountthoseballots--hasdeepsystematicprob-
lems.thecountrycouldbeonthevergeofthethirdconsecutivepresidentialelectioninwhichamix
ofbadelectionadministration,unreliablevote-countingtechnologyanddeliberatepartisantactics
willsullythevotecountandthelegitimacyofthenextpresident.
theprogressivefocusondemocracyissueshasevolvedtoreflecttheseconcerns.Adecadeago,cam-
paignfinancereformwasthepriority.Atthattime,sen.JohnMcCainwasknownforshepherdingthe
BipartisanCampaignreformActthroughCongress.thatbillsoughttodilutetheimpactofwealthy
people and interests by further regulating political donations. Progressives supported the bill and
wereenthusiasticaboutstate-levelpublicfinancingcampaignreforms.Beforesen.Barackobama
waselectedtofederaloffice,hesupportedpublicfinancingasacandidateandasalawprofessor.
Butduringthe2008campaign,bothcandidateshavemadegenerallyvaguestatementsaboutpro-
tectingtherighttovote.AndMcCainandobamaeachhaveflip-floppedonpreviousstancestosuit
theirpresidentialcampaignstrategies,withobamarejectingpublicfinancingandMcCainturningto
notablenumbersoflobbyiststostaffhiscampaign.
sowhichcandidatecomesclosesttoaddressingthepressingissuesassociatedwithrecentnational
elections?AlterNetreviewedobamaandMcCain’svotingrecordsandrecentstatementstoseehow
thetwocompareoneverythingfromelectionmanagementtovotersuppression.
ProgressiveVoterGuidetodemocracyandelections
1. VOTER REGISTRATION
tensofmillionsofAmericansdonotvote,insomecasesbecausetheyhavetojumpthroughbureau-
cratichurdlestoqualifyandregisterasvoters.someofthosehurdlesaredesignedbyrepublicans
tokeepcertainsectorsofthepublicfromvotingbecausehighervoterturnoutwouldthreatentheir
majorities.Whenrepublicanscite“voterfraud”asaconcern,theyusuallyareseekingtomakevoting
morearduousthannecessarytodetervoterturnout.Acrossthecountrythereisarangeofregistra-
tionlaws,witheverystateexceptNorthdakotarequiringvoterstoregister.Afewstateshaveelec-
tiondayregistration,meaningresidentscanregisterandvoteonelectionday.intheotherstates,
registrationcanbeasimpleormorecomplexprocess,withdeadlinesandidrequirements.themore
complicatedtheprocess,thegreaterthelikelihoodthatpeoplewillnotvote.
Solution:electiondayregistration(orsame-dayregistrationforearlyvoting)isthebestso-
lution,intandemwithearlyvotingopportunities(whereeligiblevoterscanregisterandthen
vote).thebestwaytocombatexaggeratedpartisanclaimsaboutvoterregistrationfraud,
orthesamepersonvotingmorethanonce,ispubliceducation.Votersneedtoensuretheir
registrationiscurrent,bringthecorrectidtothepolls,andhaveconfidencetheywillbeable
tovote,eveniftheGoPthreatenstochallengetheircredentialsatpollingplaces,assome
republicansarenowdoing.
Obama’s position: obamasupportselectiondayregistration.Hiscampaignrecentlysued
therepublicanPartyinMichiganoverthreatsbylocalpartyofficialsthattheGoPwouldbe
challengingthevoterregistrationsofpeoplewholosttheirhomestoforeclosures.
McCain’s position: McCainsupportsmakingvoterregistrationeasier.Hiscampaignhasnot
takenapositiononelectiondayregistration,althoughhetoldWhytuesday.orgthathedoes
notfavormakingelectiondayaholiday.therepublicanNationalCommitteeandstateparty
operationshavesaiddemocratic“voterfraud”isanissueneedingpolicing.
Learn more: ProjectVote.org,truthAboutFraud.org2,BrennanCenter.org,AdvancementPro-
ject.org,CampaignLegalCenter.org,demos.org
2. VOTER SUPPRESSION AND BARRIERS TO VOTING
Fordecades,partisanshaveusedthevoterregistrationprocessandballotaccessrulestotrytoshape
theelectoratetotheiradvantage.ingeneral,themorecomplexthevotingprocess,thegreaterthe
chanceofdeterringeligiblecitizensfromvoting.Perhapsthemostcontroversialexampleofthiscon-
cernselectiondayvoterchallenges,inwhichsomestatesallowpoliticalpartiestostationvolunteers
http://projectvote.org/
2 http://truthaboutfraud.org/
http://www.brennancenter.org/
http://advancementproject.org/
http://campaignlegalcenter.org/
http://demos.org/home.cfm
ProgressiveVoterGuidetodemocracyandelections
atpollingplacestochallengeindividualvoters’registrations.inthosecases,thechallengedvoters
--whotendtobefirst-timevoterssuchstudents,poorpeopleandpeopleofcolor--mustdocument
thattheirregistrationinformationmatchestheircurrentaddresstovote.
Solution:Voterswhoverifythattheirregistrationinformationiscurrentbeforeelectionday
andbringthecorrectidtovotewillbeallowedtovote,aslongastheyareinlinebefore
thecloseofpollingplaces.statelawsorrulesbanningthevoterchallengeprocess,suchas
ohio’s recently instituted rules, created by a 2008 secretary of state directive, are also a
preferredsolution.
Obama’s position:obamaco-sponsoreds.80,theCounteveryVoteAct,whichamends
federallawwithnewrequirementsforverifiedvotingandvotecountaudits,provisionalbal-
lot use and counting, allocation of voting machines and election day resources, and new
standardsforpurgingvoters,earlyvotinganddeceptiveelectionpractices.
McCain’s position:McCainhastakennoknownposition,buthisFloridacampaignrecently
has sent mailers that could be used to create challenge lists, and a GoP county chair in
Michiganalsospokeofcreatingchallengelistsfromvoterswhorecentlylosttheirhomes
duetoforeclosure.
Learn more:Votersunite.org/news.asp,BrennanCenter.org8,ProjectVote.org,Campaign-
LegalCenter.org0,CommonCause.org
3. VERIFIABLE VOTE COUNTS
inFloridain2000andinohioin200,thepresidentialvotecountwasrifewithquestionsabout
fairnessandaccuracy.AfterFlorida,manystatesandcountiesreplacedoldervotingmethodswith
paperless electronic voting systems. However, these voting systems have been troubling because
electronicvotescanbelost,andwithoutapaperaudittrailthatshowsvoterintent,thesemachines
cannotbecheckedforaccuracy.Also,theproprietarynatureofthesoftwareinthesesystems,coupled
withknownsecurityrisks(suchaspoliticalinsidersalteringthecount),compoundstheirproblems.in
2008,0percentofAmericanswillvoteonpaperlessmachineswithnoaudittrail.Manycountiesin
swingstatessuchasNevada,Pennsylvania,ohioandindianaareexamples.
Solution: Like other modern Western democratic countries such as Canada, the united
statesneedstoreturntopaper-basedvotingsystems.usingpaperballotsthataremarked
bythevoterandcountedwithcomputerscannersintandemwithtransparentandrandom
votecountauditsistheonlywaytoguardagainstsoftwareglitchesandvotecountfraud.
http://votersunite.org/news.asp
8 http://www.brennancenter.org/
http://projectvote.org/
0 http://campaignlegalcenter.org/
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNKMQiwGb=8
ProgressiveVoterGuidetodemocracyandelections
Obama’s position:obamaco-sponsoreds.80,theCounteveryVoteAct,whichamends
federallawwithnewrequirementsforverifiedvotingandvotecountaudits,amongitsmany
provisions.
McCain’s position: McCainhastakennoknownpositionontheissue.
Learn more: Votersunite.org/news.asp2, BlackBoxVoting.org, Verifiedvoting.org, Brad-
blog.com,electiondefenseAlliance.org
4. POOR ELECTION MANAGEMENT
Badplanningoradministrationofelectionsbypublicofficialscancausenumerousproblemsforvot-
ers.Aconfusingballotdesign,shortageofballots,inequitableallocationofvotingmachines,toofew
orflusteredpollworkers,andlonglinesatpollingplaceswereproblemsinmanystatesduringthe
2008primaryseasonthatresultedfrompoormanagement.Problemsinthisareadisenfranchisevot-
ersandunderminepublicconfidence.
Solution:electionofficialsneedtohaveadequatebudgetsforequipmentandtraining,in-
cluding poll workers. they need to review forecasts of voter turnout for allocating voting
machinesandassigningelectiondaystaff,andtheyneedtocultivateacollaborativerela-
tionshipwithvotingactivistswhocanassistwhenproblemsarise.thebestsolutiontoa
nationalshortageofpollworkersandtraininginelectionsthatincreasinglyarecomputerized
istoencouragehighschoolandcollegestudentstobecomepollwatchers,withschoolcredit
offeredforthetrainingandparticipation.
Obama’s position: obamaco-sponsoreds.80,theCounteveryVoteAct.
McCain’s position:McCainvotedfortheHelpAmericaVoteActof2002,whichgavestates
severalbilliondollarstobuypaperlesselectronicmachines.themachineshavebeendiscov-
eredtohaveaccuracyandsecurityissues,andtheycomplicatetrainingofpollworkersand
thwartrecounts.
Learn more: BrennanCenter.org,CommonCause.org8,electionLine.org
5. PUBLIC ACCESS TO ELECTRONIC ELECTION RECORDS
2 http://votersunite.org/news.asp
http://blackboxvoting.org/
http://verifiedvoting.org/
http://www.bradblog.com/
http://electiondefensealliance.org/
http://www.brennancenter.org/
8 http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNKMQiwG&b=8
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/initiatives_detail.aspx?initiativeid=0
ProgressiveVoterGuidetodemocracyandelections
Asthecountryusesamixofpaperlessandpaper-basedvotingsystems,publicrecordslawsdonot
adequatelyprovideaccesstoelectronicelectionrecords,especiallyaftertheelectionandbeforevote
totalsarecertified.theauditprocess,whichcheckstheaccuracyofvotecounts,cannotoccurwith-
outaccesstotheserecords
Solution: ActivistsinPimaCounty,Arizona,wenttocourtandwonaccesstoelectronicvote
countdatabases.Publicofficialsneedtoencourageaccess,notfightwithactivists.theme-
dianeedtoadvocateforupdatingstateandfederalopenrecordslawstoincludeelectronic
information.Claimsofproprietarysoftware(madebyfirmsthatreceivedatemanagement
contractsfromstates)needtoberegardedasunacceptableobstructionsofthepublic’sright
toknow.
Obama’s position:obamahastakennoknownpositionontheissue.
McCain’s position: McCainhastakennoknownpositionontheissue.
Learn more:AuditAZ.org20,VoterAction.org2,VotetrustusA.org22
6. NONPARTISAN OVERSIGHT OF ELECTIONS
too many top state election officials and their local counterparts are involved in partisan political
campaigns while running the machinery of voting and issuing rules that affect ballot access, poll
staffingandvotecounts.thisconflictofinterestunderminespublictrustandcreatesthepotentialfor
tiltingtheprocesstooneparty’sadvantage.
Solution: stateelectionofficialsshouldbepressuredbythemediaandvotingrightsactivists
topledgenottoco-chairanycandidate’scampaignwhileoverseeingelections.
Obama’s position:obamahastakennoknownpositionontheissue,buthespeaksofpoliti-
calethicsreformstoeliminateconflictsofinterestingoverning.
McCain’s position: McCainhastakennoknownpositionontheissue,buthespeaksofpo-
liticalethicsreformstoeliminateconflictsofinterestingoverning.
Learn more:Votersunite.org/news.asp2,BradBlog.com2
7. PRIVATIZATION OF ELECTIONS
thevotingprocessisbecomingmoreandmoresecretiveandremovedfromthepublic.themachin-
eryofelections,fromupdatingvoterrollstomaintainingthevotingmachinestoWebsitehostingof
20 http://auditaz.org/
2 http://voteraction.org/
22 http://votetrustusa.org/
2 http://votersunite.org/news.asp
2 http://bradblog.com/
ProgressiveVoterGuidetodemocracyandelections
thereturnsonelectionNight,increasinglyisbeingoutsourcedtotheprivatesectorinsteadofremain-
inginpublic-sectorhands.Notonlyareprivate-sectorfirmspronetomakingerrorswithpublicdata,
suchaslistingpeopleonvoterrolls,butthereisnotransparencyoftheirhandingofthisfundamental
democraticfunction,thevote.
Solution:stateandcountygovernmentsshouldpayforthemanagementandmaintenance
ofelectionsystemsandrecordsbypublicsectoremployees.thiswouldincludeusingopen-
sourcesoftwareforvotingmachines,hostingelectiondatabasesongovernmentoruniver-
sityservers,andpostingresultsonWebsitesmaintainedbythepublicsectorandsubjectto
openrecordslaws.
Obama’s position:obamahastakennoknownpositionontheissue.
McCain’s position:McCainhastakennoknownpositiononthisissue.
Learn more: VoterAction.org2,electiondefenseAlliance.org2,Votersunite.org/news.asp2
8. PUBLIC TRUST IN ELECTIONS
thepublichasbecomeincreasinglyskepticalabouttheaccuracyofelectionssinceFlorida’sbotched
presidentialelectionin2000andtheremediesimplementedsincethen,namelyreplacingoldervot-
ingmachineswithpaperlesstechnology.unlessthepubliccantrustandaccepttheresultsofthe
votecountprocess,thegovernmentwillbeplaguedbyquestionsoflegitimacyandwillnothavethe
public’ssupportinnationalcrises.
Solution:electionofficialsmusterronthesideofaccommodatingpublicconcerns,whether
theissueisregisteringasmanynewvotersaspossibleoropeningupthevotercountpro-
cess.themediamustbeeducatedintoanewparadigmofadvocatingforaccurateresults
ratherthanbeingthefastestwiththe“winners”onelectionNight.
Obama’s position: obama co-sponsored s. 80, the Count every Vote Act, which would
improvevotecountaudits.HetoldWhytuesday.orgthatrestrainingtheimpactofspecial
interestsandlobbyistsiskeytorestoringpublictrust.Hispresidentialcampaignisnotac-
ceptingdonationsfrompoliticalactioncommitteesorlobbyists,butitistakingfundsfrom
numerouspoliticalinsiders.obamaalsobrokewithpastpledgesbyrejectingpresidential
publicfinancing,whichpromptedcriticismfromprogressivesandothersconcernedabout
politicalreform.
McCain’s position: McCain shepherded the Bipartisan Campaign reform Act of 2002,
whichlimitedsomecampaigndonationsinfederalcampaigns.HetoldWhytuesday.orgthat
“negativecampaigns”turnoffvotersthemost;however,manypoliticalobservershavesaid
forseveralweeksthatMcCain’scampaignhasbroughtpoliticalattacksandfalseclaimstoa
2 http://voteraction.org/
2 http://electiondefensealliance.org/
2 http://votersunite.org/news.asp
ProgressiveVoterGuidetodemocracyandelections
newlow.McCain’scampaignstaffalsohasmanylobbyists,despitehisoft-repeatedclaims
thathe willclean up Washington politics.Hehasnottakenpositionsonthemostrecent
electionintegrityconcernslikee-voting.
Learn more: Votersunite.org/news.asp28, electionLawBlog.org2, PubliCampaign.org0,
opensecrets.org
9. NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ELECTIONS AND VOTING
thelackofuniform,nationalstandards--fromtheconstitutionalrighttovotebyindividuals,tovoter
registrationrequirements,toelectionmachinery,tovotecountandauditstandards--meansthatthe
countryisdividedintothousandsofseparateandunequalelectionjurisdictions.
Solution: Federal legislation, while very difficult to achieve, is the only solution short of
adoptingaconstitutionalamendmentguaranteeingtheindividualrighttovote.
Obama’s position:obamaco-sponsoreds.80,theCounteveryVoteAct.
McCain’s position:McCainhastakennoknownpositionontheissue.
Learn more: Votersunite.org/news.asp2,electionLine.org,CommonCause.org
10. PRIVATE MONEY IN POLITICS
Moneywillalwaysinfluencecandidates,theelectionprocess,lobbyingandgoverning.thechallenge
iscreatingabalancebetweentheinterestsofthefewandtheinterestsofthemany.
Solution:Publicfinancingofcandidatesisthebestsolutiontoopenuptherangeofcandi-
datesinlower-costraces.inmoreexpensivecontests,thesolutionlieswithpressuringthe
massmediatoofferfreeairtimetoarangeofcandidates,byallowinglocalaffiliatestopre-
emptsomenationalpoliticalprogramming.thesesolutionsaredesignedtoraisethefloor
foraccessintothepoliticalprocessratherthantotrytochangetheentiresystem.
Obama’s position:obamasupportedpublicfinancingcampaignreformbefore2008andin
theprimaryseason,butheoptedoutofthepresidentialpublicfinancingoptionforthe2008
generalelection.
McCain’s position: McCain does not support public financing campaign reform. He told
28 http://votersunite.org/news.asp
2 http://electionlawblog.org/
0 http://www.publicampaign.org/
http://www.opensecrets.org/
2 http://votersunite.org/news.asp
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/initiatives_detail.aspx?initiativeid=0
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNKMQiwG&b=8
ProgressiveVoterGuidetodemocracyandelections
Whytuesday.orgthathewouldnotsupportextendingArizona’sstatepublicfinancingpro-
gramtofederalelections.instead,hesupportsmoreincrementalregulationofvarioustypes
ofcampaigndonations.
Learn more: PubliCampaign.org,CommonCause.org
http://www.publicampaign.org/
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNKMQiwG&b=8