Candidate Review - Electoral Reform - Barack Obama

Obama also has a page on electoral reform and voting rights. So all of the top tier candidates have a page on this, while a number of the secondary candidates don't. I wonder if it is just because this is seen as a secondary issue? The candidates with plenty of money can afford to put one together, but those who's operations are a little more shoe-string have to pick and choose which issues they want to address? Probably.

Anyway here is Obama on making sure everybody has access to the polls.

In recent elections we have seen political operatives purge voters from registration rolls for no legitimate reason, uneven distribution of polling equipment, and efforts to deceive voters about the time, location and rules of elections. A recent study discovered numerous organized efforts to intimidate and mislead voters and suppress voter turnout in minority communities. Few states have enacted clear and effective prohibitions against these abuses. Senator Obama introduced the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act to enable investigations into deceptive practices. It establishes significant harsh penalties for those who have engaged in fraud and it provides voters who have been misinformed with accurate and full information so they can vote.

That is a good and necessary step, but it doesn't address the concerns about voting fraud that occurs after the vote is cast - i.e. Diebold.

Obama also has a page on fixing government, but it doesn't go to the heart of the matter; campaign financing. I mean looking at the perks a Jack Abramoff might give you like free flights or hookers is important. And of course it makes for "sexy" news stories. But the real problem is that our legislatures have to spend much of their time raising funds to run for their office again.

Still I think he'll probably have one leg up over the Republicans.