Election Reform

We support:

1) Automatic registration based on Social Security records

The voluntary voter registration process is hugely inefficient, expensive, and subject to fraud. A far superior system would use the Social Security database, allowing each voter to maintain one "voting address" either through direct Internet access or through the mail. Boards of election would use their geographic portion of that list as their master voter file.

2) Electronic voting reforms

  • All votes must be cast on paper ballots; touchscreens (DRE's) must be decertified
  • Electronic vote scanners must use certified open source software that cannot be accessed remotely; all software revisions must be certified
  • truly random post-election handcounts must match scanners or all votes must be counted by hand

3)  A Constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to vote for President

4) Abolish the Electoral College

5) An end to partisan oversight of the electoral process by Secretaries of State who actively support partisan candidates 

6) Unified federal standards for national elections, including equal protection of voting rights by such means as equal voting systems, equal numbers of machines, and equal time to vote

7) Extended voting periods to allow all voters a meaningful opportunity to vote

8) Instant Run-off Voting, Proportional Representation and Fusion

9) Publicly financed elections for federal offices

10) Vote-by-Mail should be encouraged

Oregon conducts its elections entirely by mail - there are no precincts to vote in. (Oregon is adding 2 touchscreen machines per county for disabled voters.) According to Secretary of State Bill Bradbury, the system produced "record turnout and little strife." 87% of registered voters voted - compared with 60%-70% in the rest of the country.

11) Abolish gerrymandering and mid-decade redistricting

All Congressional district lines should be drawn by non-partisan boards. Redistricting should take place only in the year following the Census every decade.

We also support: