Overview
Flaws in our elections open the door to partisan manipulation of
election results, disenfranchisement of large portions of the
population, and uncertain results—all of which undermine citizens’
faith in our democracy.
The
steady progress made over the last 200 years toward a more inclusive
and representative democracy has been compromised in recent years in
several ways. Some states have adopted unnecessary barriers to
registration and promoted efforts that prevent civic groups from
reaching out to eligible voters. When election administrators
simultaneously serve as officers of campaign committees, voters are
right to raise questions about the fairness and accuracy of the
election results.
Lax rules allow for gaming the election
system to favor one party or candidate. The result is diminished public
accountability for elected officials and an increasing role for
insiders who can either boost turnout of a certain segment of voters
(by, for example, providing more voting machines in selected precincts
to reduce lines) or dampen turnout among other segments of the
population (by purging voter rolls or refusing to place polling
stations in convenient locations in specific communities).
To
correct for these problems, states and Congress should adopt clear and
reasonable standards to rein in the growing list of abuses we have
witnessed in recent elections. Elections should be accessible to all by
allowing eligible voters to register when and where they are most
likely to participate. The process should have clear standards. It
should be uncomplicated and provide voters with confidence that their
vote will be counted.
