WHAT HAPPENED TO ELECTION REFORM?
Democracy denied is freedom lost

The 2000 election debacle anniversary is at hand and little, if any, progress has been made on election reform throughout the nation. Though the attack on America and the war against terrorism demands our highest priority, voters expect more than being left on the back shelf of democracy.

It has been estimated that it would cost about $2.5 billion to upgrade and standardize voting systems across the country. Compared to the $billions being pumped into national defense, homeland security and economic recovery, fixing our election systems is a long overdue bargain for voting taxpayers that should not be overlooked.

This voter cast a punch card ballot in a local November 6th election in which a candidate was nearly left off the list. Elected officials and representatives should heed the need for election reform, if for no other reason, simply because voters have better memories these days and they can be replaced, even with broken voting systems.

Democracy denied is freedom lost.

Daniel B. Jeffs, founder
The Direct Democracy Center