Election Integrity requires a set of rules.
- Based on common sense.
- Easy to follow.
- Set up by state legislatures.
- Can only be changed by state legislatures.
- Can not be changed Ninety (90) days before an election.
GOAL:
“Ensure every vote cast is legal and every legal vote is counted.
The public must have trust in the outcome of our elections. That goal is elusive in large part because of the vulnerabilities that currently exist.
Rules governing the conduct of elections, which are constitutionally entrusted to the various state legislatures, should not be changed shortly before an election.
Private interest groups of whatever partisan affiliation should not be allowed to provide funds to local election authorities to defray the cost of elections.
Continued from Thoughts At Large Monday February 22nd:
The last three rules deal with election day.
Rule #7
End the “Election Season”; return to “Election Day”.
- The first Tuesday in November every other year will be a national holiday to ensure every registered voter has the time to vote.
- Early voting should be limited to the Monday before election day.
- Limiting the actual election to two days relieves the tremendous pressure put on the county officials to properly man the voting locations and maintain chain of custody on the ballots.
Rule # 8
Allow election observers from all political parties represented on the ballot complete access to election process.
- Political parties, candidates, and third-party organizations should all be allowed to have observers in every aspect of the election process. Transparency is essential to a fair and secure system. The only limitation on such observers is that they cannot interfere with the voting and counting process.
- However, a representative of the election office should be present to answer the question for the observers. They should be legally allowed to be in a position-exactly like election officials-to observe everything going on, other than the actual voting by individuals.
- Election officials should be prohibited from stationing observers so far away that they cannot observe the process, including such procedures as the opening of absentee ballots and the verification process.
Rule #9
Provide state legislatures with legal standing.
- State legislatures must ensure that they have legal standing— either through a specific state law or through constitution amendment, if that is required—to sue other state officials, such as governors or secretaries of state, who make or attempt to make unauthorized changes in state election laws.
- Many Americans were stunned that Texas and 17 other states would not be heard by the Supreme Court because they lacked standing. If eighteen (18) states lack standing in a federal election for president, then who, in God’s name, has standing.
Many Americans agree that the Supreme Court simply hid behind standing, like a child would hide behind their mother’s apron strings, because they were afraid to fulfill their duties.
This completes the common sense rules that Thoughts At Large was able to articulate based on research.
As always any corrections, suggestions, or criticisms will go a long way in improving the rules.
