Secretaries of State AS politcal partisans (Blackwell and others)

[rodeodance]

Also there was a post last week--Blackwell and Hood did not 'report for duty" at a Congressional hearing and the Chair (a Rep.) was upset.
Any one hear any follow up on that?



http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/14/opinion/14mon2.html?

February 14, 2005
EDITORIAL
Umpires Still Taking Sides

The scandal of state election officials who are also political partisans has reached a new low. California's secretary of state announced his resignation this month amid charges that his office spent federal money on Democratic Party politics, and the National Association of Secretaries of State passed a resolution allowing its members to continue their partisan activities. There is an urgent need to fix this mess; if election officials won't do it, Congress must act to protect the integrity of federal elections.......

There were loud protests from voters over the conduct of Mr. Blackwell and several other secretaries. But the secretaries' association recently reiterated the right of its members to wear the two hats of election manager and political partisan. Kentucky's secretary of state told The Associated Press that "if the voters think we are being too partisan, they can kick us out of office." That isn't good enough. By that logic, there should be no ethics laws for any elected officials.

To make matters worse, the secretaries of state passed a resolution calling on Congress to dissolve the Election Assistance Commission, the federal agency formed after the 2000 election to upgrade the mechanics of voting. The commission has not been as effective as it should be, but it has an important role to play. Dissolving it would send precisely the wrong message about the nation's commitment to fix the substantial flaws in the election system.

There is a strong federal interest in keeping state election officials impartial, because they count the votes in federal elections. If secretaries of state will not promise to keep out of partisan politics, Congress should require them to. Senator Frank Lautenberg is introducing a bill, known as the Federal Election Integrity Act, that would do just that. The point is not complicated: campaign for votes or count votes - but not both.

[NVMojo]

1. I can't stand the Nevada Secretary of Pricks and I'm disappointed

that Senators Reid and Ensign are pushing the HAVA crap with him.

[rodeodance]

2. what is "HAVA crap?"

[centristo]

4. Help America Vote Act of 2002

http://www.fec.gov/hava/hava.htm

Obviously this act fell a wee bit short of its expectations.

[punpirate]

3. There's one answer to the problem...

... and it's jail time for anyone who uses underhanded tactics to influence or suppress the vote, including secretaries of state. Blackwell, and his ideological predecessor, Katherine Harris, would think twice about using their offices to influence the vote if it meant a couple of years in the slammer.