For Release: Monday, February 5, 2001
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

COSTELLO OP/ED: "ELECTORAL REFORM MUST BE A PRIORITY"

WASHINGTON - U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) today made available the following op/ed piece on electoral reform:

Now that the Bush administration and the 107th Congress are settling down for business, a clearer picture of the legislative landscape in Washington is beginning to take shape. Education reform, tax cuts, and campaign finance reform are high on the early agenda, and I look forward to addressing each of these issues. However, I am concerned that another critical issue - electoral reform - is not receiving the attention it deserves. Last fall's election raised numerous questions about the state of our nation's electoral system, and the time is now to examine these issues.

While numerous bills have been introduced on various aspects of this issue, such as abolishing the electoral college and providing federal funds to update voting technology, I believe that a comprehensive review of our entire system is necessary. To that end, I have cosponsored a bill, H.R. 57, the Federal Elections Review Commission Act, that would create a 12-member, non-partisan commission to conduct this review and make recommendations to Congress and President Bush. The Commission members would be appointed by the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House, and the Majority and Minority Leader of the Senate, and no federal employees would be able to serve. The Commission would meet once in Washington, D.C. and at least four other times at locations throughout the country, and would issue its final report within a year of its first meeting. Topics to be studied, among others, include the electoral college, voting technology, ballot access, ballot design, vote counting and voter participation. I am particularly interested in the possibility of a standard, national poll-closing time - a concept endorsed by some in the media - and holding elections over two weekend days to ensure that everyone has a sufficient opportunity to vote.

Why is electoral reform necessary? Because the closeness of last year's election and its aftermath shook public confidence in the greatest of American ideals - that every person has a right to vote, and that vote will be counted. While it happens every election, the combination of Vice President Gore winning the popular vote and losing the election and the mind-numbing analysis of the "undercounts", "overcounts" and "hanging chads" left many people scratching their heads at the seemingly subjective way we count votes. If we are to encourage better voter turnout in future elections, we must reassure the people that their vote does count. I believe the best way to do that is to move toward a standardized way to cast and tally votes across the country. Because there are so many important issues to be sorted out, a commission would best be able to make these recommendations. President Bush should look at a commission as an excellent way to address these concerns.

By supporting this legislation I do not mean to imply that the 2000 presidential election was in any way invalid. Though unusual and I hope a once-in-a-lifetime experience, both candidates generally handled the situation well. The real tragedy will be if we do not take this opportunity to make improvements in how we run elections in this country.

###