President Gerald R. Ford, Co-Chairman
National Commission on Federal Election Reform
University of Virginia
Miller Center of Public Affairs
2201 Old Ivy Road
PO Box 400406
Charlottesville, VA 22903

Dear President Ford:

Thank you for the opportunity to address these comments to the National Commission on Federal Election Reform. I applaud you for the work you are doing.

Our common goal is to ensure that everyone's vote counts. This is an issue that I believe can and must be addressed in a bipartisan manner.

I regret that I cannot be with you today to testify in person, however here are some key points I would like to share with you from my perspective as Chairman of the Committee on House Administration:

1. Punch-card voting systems should, where possible, be replaced. This will cost money and the federal government should help.
2. Control of elections should remain at the state and local level. Reform does not require the creation of a new federal bureaucracy or new federal mandates.
3. Standards for election systems are important, and they should be developed by state and local election officials who actually run elections, not imposed by the federal government.
4. Real election reform should minimize both voter error and voter fraud. Every qualified voter should have the opportunity to cast a ballot and have it counted, and no citizen's legal vote should be cancelled by an illegal vote.

There are many other issues that must be addressed, from improving participation, particularly among young voters, to better educating both poll workers and voters about the election process.

But the bottom-line for all us must be to sustain the confidence of citizens in our voting process. No issue is more important to the vitality of our democracy. I have confidence that we can work together to build a consensus in Congress and across the nation to meet this challenge.

Sincerely,

 

Bob Ney

Chairman

Committee on House Administration