Brennan Center Supports Count Every Vote Act Introduced Today by Senator Clinton and Representative

For Immediate Release
March 7, 2007

Contact
Wendy Weiser, 917–864–4877
Susan Lehman, 212–998–6318
Mike Webb, 212–998–6746

Brennan Center Supports Count Every Vote Act
Introduced Today by Senator Clinton and Representative Tubbs-Jones

Washington, DC – Today, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law expressed its support for the Count Every Vote Act (CEVA), introduced by Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and Representative Stephanie Tubbs-Jones, as a good first step toward making sure that all eligible Americans have the opportunity to vote and to have their votes accurately counted. Among the provisions of the CEVA bill are a range of improvements to our voter registration system, including Election Day registration and enhanced registration opportunities for newly eligible voters; improved security for electronic voting machines, including accessible voter-verified paper records and audit requirements; requirements for reducing waiting lines at the polls and ensuring equitable allocation of election resources; improvements to provisional balloting; measures to reduce partisanship and conflicts of interest in election administration; and enhancements to poll worker training and civic education.

The vote is the heart of democracy, said Brennan Center executive director Michael Waldman. Today there are too many barriers to citizens registering, voting and knowing their vote will count.  This legislation would make a major stride forward toward fixing our broken election system and restoring democracys promise. Our research and litigation shows these are needed steps.

Recently, the Brennan Center, with the support of 24 other public advocacy organizations, released An Agenda for Election Reform outlining the improvements that need to be made in Americas federal voting laws. The Agenda calls for changes to the voter registration process, enhancements to our voting systems, increased efforts to prevent disenfranchisement, stricter voting administration regulations, and full voting rights for all Americans.  The agenda is explained in a policy report by the Brennan Center and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. There is still a lot Congress can and should do to protect Americans right to vote and to safeguard our elections, said Wendy Weiser of the Brennan Center. This agenda outlines the way.

For the full legislative agenda, please visit the newly created Federal Election Reform website.