Election Reform

Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate calling for what is necessary to safeguard our elections: a required voter-verified paper trail for every election so that any errors and irregularities caused by the voting machines can be discovered. Congress has the ability and the duty to act on real voting reform that addresses the real issues that mar our electoral system, issues researched and documented by countless activists and academics.

Right now there are no such requirements for the so-called "Direct Recording Electronic" machines currently being used in many communities and states. With the computer technology in use, there is constant risk of a program flaw -- or worse, tampering with the software, which could change votes and thus change the outcome of elections. Without a "voter verified audit trail," meaning a permanent record of each vote that the voter can check to verify that it represents his or her intent, these changes might never be detected.

To address these problems, Kucinich is a strong supporter of:

· Requiring all voting machines to produce a voter-verified paper record for use in manual audits and recounts.

· Banning the use of undisclosed software and wireless communications devices in voting systems.

· Having required all voting systems to meet these requirements in time for the general election in November 2004.

· Requiring that electronic voting systems be provided for persons with disabilities by January 1, 2006.

· Requiring mandatory surprise recounts in 0.5% of domestic jurisdictions and 0.5% of overseas jurisdictions.

As a country we need to support measures such as Election Day as a holiday, election-day voter registration, enhanced voting rights enforcement, an end to the racially biased disenfranchisement of felons who have served their time, and full Congressional representation for residents of the District of Columbia. We cannot continue to punish former felons after they have paid their debt to society. To do so, perpetuates the racism of the Reconstruction. Over a million black males have unjustly been deprived of their right to vote.

Further, we need comprehensive campaign reform including clean money with the goal of public financing of the public's elections, ample free television time for candidates, the break-up of the media monopolies that restrict political debate, and the consideration of electorate measures such as IRV.
Instant Runoff Voting. IRV offers a cost-effective way of insuring that the winning candidate is preferred by a majority of voters; it encourages voters to vote their wishes and not their fears; it promotes greater voter turnout and positive campaigning.

Dennis Kucinich firmly supports public campaign financing of elections. Private control of campaign financing leads to private control of the government itself and schemes like the privatization of social security, which would put trillions in retirement funds of Main Street workers at the disposal of Wall Street speculators. Public control of the political process requires public financing. The restoration of our American Democracy depends upon public financing. Less than 1% of the U.S. population contributes 80% of the money in federal elections. When only 0.11% of the voting age population contributed sums of at least $1,000 to a 2002 congressional candidate, doubling the limit to $2,000 provides even more power to the tiny financial elite. Those large contributions amounted to 55.5% of the candidates' individual fundraising.