REFORM GROUP WORKING TO AVOID FLORIDA SCENARIO

The need for better-trained election judges and a desire for uniform, statewide election procedures were among the concerns area residents and officials submitted to a bipartisan election reform commission that stopped in Cape Girardeau Tuesday.

The commission was formed by Secretary of State Matt Blunt to review what Missourians think about the state's election system and collect suggestions for improving the system.

"Elections are the foundation of our democracy, and you have to have a system people are confident in," said Blunt, who attended the Cape Girardeau meeting. "What happened in Florida and St. Louis on election night unnounced for more than a month after the vote. Voters in Palm Beach County complained that they couldn't understand the ballots, and there were multiple court hearings about recounts.

And Blunt is investigating allegations that voters were either kept from the polls or voting fraudulently in St. Louis Nov. 7.

About 25 people attended Tuesday's public hearing in Cape Girardeau. The commission panel, which included Republican co-chairman Paul DeGregorio of St. Louis County and Democrat co-chairman Bob Ravenscraft of Palmyra, heard from local county clerks, a political science professor, a representative of the local League of Women Voters, former state representative Mary Kasten, the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce and others.

Several county clerks expressed concern about the state's Motor Voter program, which allows residents to register to vote at driver's services facilities. They said many voters, believing they registered through Motor Voter, have been turned away from polls because the registration was not processed, usually because of incomplete information or because it was lost.

"We do see some kinds of problems with Motor Voter," said Perry County Clerk Randy Taylor. "It does take pressure off our office as a registration headquarters, but the biggest problem we have is locating people when they give a post office box instead of a physical address."

Cape Girardeau County Clerk Rodney Miller said another problem is that voters often do not thoroughly read directions and fail to ask questions if they spoil their ballots.

"The voter does have some responsibility, and it's frustrating when everything is laid out there and the voter doesn't pay attention," he said.

Miller also told the commission he believes punch cards are working out nicely for Cape Girardeau County voters and predicts it could cost as much as $500,000 to change to an optic scan system, which enables voters to, using a pencil, shade in shapes on a sheet of paper. The ballots are read and tallied by an electronic scanner.

Longer poll hours?

Former state representative Mary Kasten told the commission that election workers deserve more accolades for their hard work and suggested that polls be open from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., allowing volunteers to work either of two eight-hour shifts instead of one 14-hour shift.

"Most of our folks are older, and they just wear out," Kasten said.

Peter Bergerson, a political science professor at SEMO, said he has studied what compels voters to go to the polls or stay at home and encouraged the panel to explore a uniform statewide system for voting and vote-counting.

"The reason we're here is not because of routine elections. It's because of exceptional elections," he said. "No system is going to be perfect. We have to look at some systems that will make voting timely, equitable and welcoming."

Bergerson also said he believes the cut-off date for voter registration should be extended because he believes people often get excited about voting after the cut-off date.

The commission will continue to accept suggestions from concerned residents and provide a final report to Blunt by Jan. 30.

How to comment

To submit comments or suggestions to the secretary of state's election reform commission, e-mail electioncommission@sosmail.state.mo.us.