Election Task Force Recommends Reforms

[Freddie Stubbs]

Election Task Force in Washington State Suggests Action to Restore Public Trust in Voting System

By RACHEL LA
The Associated Press

Mar. 2, 2005 - A task force has found that public trust in Washington state's election system was damaged by last year's tight gubernatorial race that took two months to resolve, and it recommended a package of reforms.

The task force, created by Gov. Christine Gregoire in the wake of her razor-thin victory, recommended moving the primary date to earlier in the year, requiring voter identification at the polls, and color-coding provisional ballots so they won't be counted before voters' registration is confirmed.

In a 23-page report obtained by The Associated Press, the task force declared that imperfections and mistakes in the election system shook public confidence and were "clearly unacceptable."

Holding primaries a month earlier would give counties more time to distribute general election ballots. The task force also recommended mandatory audits of local election systems by the secretary of state's office and improving voter registration records.

more: http://abcnews.go.com/US/print?id=545819