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FINAL
April 30, 2001
NCSL Special Task Force on Elections Reform Recommendations:

1. The NCSL Elections Reform Task Force acknowledges that a national debate on election reform has begun and that any Congressionally mandated changes in elections processes necessarily will impact state and local elections. The NCSL Task Force recognizes that state law controls the processes and the administration of matters pertaining to federal, state, and local elections. It logically follows that NCSL, as the national voice of the various state legislatures, should be at the center of this national debate.
2. The NCSL Elections Reform Task Force finds that most of the significant federal legislation introduced in the 107^th Congress contains guidelines for the formation of an election commission or task force to examine election issues and to develop guidelines or mandates for federal elections which necessarily will affect state and local elections. The Task Force recognizes Congress' desire to have a voice in the national debate on election reform and understands the formation of a federal commission or task force to provide such a voice may be inevitable. The NCSL Elections Reform Task Force believes that NCSL must be an equal partner within any such federal commission or task force because this effort must be a partnership among federal, state, and local officials.

Should Congress move forward with election reform legislation that requires the formation of a federal commission or task force to examine election reform issues in the states, NCSL will lend its support to such effort only if state legislators are included in the composition of any such commission or task force.

3. The NCSL Elections Reform Task Force acknowledges that, due to events surrounding the last presidential election, public confidence in the elections process must be restored. The Task Force recognizes that states may need federal block grant funding to assist in the implementation of new and innovative election reform procedures. The NCSL Elections Reform Task Force also believes that such funding should be based on broad principles, not upon specific mandates which would lead to a "one size fits all" approach to elections. Therefore, the NCSL Elections Reform Task Force supports a block grant formula which awards money to states for broad-based purposes dealing with election reform, and opposes any funding mechanism which seeks to mandate specific requirements on the states.
4. The NCSL Elections Reform Task Force is of the opinion that the creation of another new agency to administer these block grants is unnecessary, believing that the Federal Elections Commission may be the most appropriate federal agency to administer any such federal block grant program.
5. The NCSL Elections Reform Task Force supports federal block grant funding to states for the following broad purposes:

1. Improving election technology, systems and ballot design;
2. Facilitating voter registration, verification and maintenance of voter rolls;
3. Improving the accuracy and security of election procedures and vote counts;
4. Educating citizens on representative democracy and election processes and systems;
5. Providing greater access to voter registration and polling places especially for rural and disabled voters; and
6. Providing training and education opportunities for elections personnel.

Tim Storey or Jennie Drage (303) 364-7700
or Susan Frederick (202) 624-3566