Miami Herald (Uses AP and DC Miami Herald reporter content)
Friday, November 16, 2001

Civil rights groups call election overhaul bill inadequate
By Janelle Carter

WASHINGTON -- Civil rights organizations are lining up against a $2.6 billion election overhaul bill, convinced it will do little to solve the problems that plagued last year's presidential election. But House members say the bill is a good first step. It cleared the House Administration Committee 8-0 Thursday.

Republicans pushed through an amendment that allows military commanders to place polling places on military installations. Democrats unsuccessfully tried to strengthen provisions dealing with voters with disabilities. Advocates for the disabled have complained that states are given too much discretion in providing access. "This legislation is not perfect,'' said Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the committee's senior Democrat. "However, it is a bipartisan, effective bill that will address the glaring flaws in our election system.''

Rep. Jim Davis, a Tampa Democrat who worked on the bill, said there was urgency in getting money to the states in time "to have some influence on the quality and integrity of the 2002 election.'' Davis, a committee member, acknowledged that the bill was a compromise: "Something is better than nothing here, particularly with the clock ticking toward the 2002 election.'' Davis predicted that most members of the Florida delegation, from both parties, would support the bill. Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., would not say if the House would take up the bill before it recesses for the year next month, but said he planned to bring it up as soon as possible. "The quicker we can move on it, the quicker we can start to make preparations'' for changes that will assure the nation "of good, sound elections,'' Hastert said.

The bill would give states millions of dollars over the next three years to buy new voting equipment, better train poll workers and improve registration lists. States would get $650 million immediately, including $400 million -- about $6,000 per precinct -- so states could immediately replace punch card voting systems. Punch card ballots were blamed for many of the problems in the presidential election in Florida in 2000. About 36 percent of U.S. voters used a punch card machine last year, federal regulators say.

"For too long, budget constraints have forced local governments to choose between new voting machines and new highways,'' said Republican Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio, the House Administration Committee chairman. But Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., contends the proposal was developed in secret and without consultation from civil rights advocates. He favors uniform standards for voting machines. The Senate continues to work on its bill.
Herald staff writer Frank Davies contributed to this report.

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