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.