Extreme partisanship combined with a complicated and highly decentralized voting system have led to a loss of faith in election results among some in the U.S., according to a bipartisan report released Tuesday that calls for greater transparency and steps to make voting easier.
The report noted that even in “normal times” elections are complex in a nation with thousands of voting jurisdictions and where the rules vary widely from state to state, and even between local governments.
“Of course, these are not normal times,” it said, noting that rancor and rhetoric have replaced problem-solving. “Nowhere is this more evident than with the partisan gamesmanship played over the very heart of this great democracy — the way we elect our leaders.”
The report by The Carter Center and the Baker Institute for Public Policy lays out 10 principles for trying to balance equal access to the polls with ensuring the integrity of election results.
Among other things, it recommends election laws that are clear and well-communicated, easy but secure voter registration, regular audits of local voting procedures and transparency in counting the votes.
In part, the report says its recommendations are an attempt to address “a tumultuous period of domestic unrest, one of the most polarized in American history.”
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.