Election 2000 was both like answered prayers for positive changes and an awakening of voters regarding vote fraud and a nightmare as the whole world watched the integrity of the USA election system blurred under the microscope of media attention.
What really is needed to insure free and fair elections?
1. Missouri election laws and code of state regulations regarding elections must be revised no later than August 1, 2002. These must all be consistent with each other and with actual practice by election authorities.
2. In all Missouri laws "bipartisan" or "major party" needs replaced with "multi party" or "all political parties on the ballot".
3. Punchcard voting must be made illegal in Missouri.
4. Missouri needs to have a multi party election commission to insure all votes are counted, which bonds and secures all source code for vote tabulation systems and eventually for a statewide secure tabulation system. All vote tabulation systems should pass both federal and stricter state standards tests.
5. Ballots should be counted in the polling place and again at a central location and in full public view.
6. No one should be permitted to have access to an official ballot who is not a registered voter in that jurisdiction.
7. Open primaries should be the norm in Missouri or preferably replaced by a caucus system.
8. Ballot access for new parties and independent candidates should be simplified and retention of ballot access clarified and changed. However, the same persons should not be permitted to issue petitions as a new party for the following election cycle after loss.
9. Sample ballots and instructions should match exactly those actually used at the polls. And braille and large print ballots and instructions should be easily available.
10. All ballots and instructions for statewide elections should be uniform and issued through the multi party election commission.
11. Election authorities should be required to provide directional signs for all polling places and insure all polling places have ample parking. And all polling places should be handicap accessible.
12. Absentee voting, including the Saturday before election day, should be encouraged and no reason for voting absentee required.
13. Those declared mentally incompetent or who are unable to read or write the English language should not be permitted to register to vote.
14. Voter registration drives by any group or individual should be encouraged.
11. Curtains should be returned to Missouri voting booths.
15. Any entity, including media, accepting donations or public funding should be required to allow equal access to all candidates on the ballot.
16. Missouri needs a statewide hard copy voters guide and on line Missouri Citizenship Centers voters guide.
17. Campaigns should be funded only by the candidate or donations from registered voters of the district or entities based in the district.
18. Election judges and tabulation workers should be paid more and given incentive bonuses for reporting election irregularities.
19. Jails should be required to permit voter registration absentee voting by those eligible to vote and those convicted of crimes should be told when they again become eligible to vote.
20. Violations of election laws should be felonies and should be enforced.
21. Election authorities should be required to provide at least one polling place on every college and university campus in Missouri.
Missouri should become a leader in election reform. That leadership begins with YOU. If you want to be sure each vote is counted please insist the Mo. General Assembly make the proper legislative changes.
Links to other sites on the Web
MP Revisions for Mo. Election Laws
Marvalene Pankey is State Chairperson of The Reform Party of Missouri and a member of the Reform Party National Committee on Party Building. She is also state director for Common-Sense and one of the originators of the Multi-Party Election Reform Coalition. She has researched vote fraud and election laws since 1994 and has been a candidate for Mo. Secretary of State twice. Opinions expressed may not necessarily reflect any official position of The Reform Party of Missouri or Common-Sense. She may be reached via e mail or fax 810-314-0929 or phone 417-876-4626, voice mail 1-800-MYYAHOO#877-376-4981.
© 2000 mpankey2001@yahoo.com