It was only after the
war, as the elective franchise expanded to minorities and women, three changes
to state and federal election laws were adopted that eventually made the
voting process a private and nontransparent enterprise: absentee voting was
allowed (1870's), the Australian secret ballot method was adopted (1880's),
and voting machines were permitted by Congress (1899).

proportional elections

elections encourages

conducted proportional

WASHINGTON, Changing the federal election day
should be considered the foremost priority by Congress when weighing reforms
to the electoral system, said Ambassador Andrew Young , who made his remarks on
Friday, February 3, in front of the National Association of Secretaries of
State (NASS).

Voting Systems Lawsuit Reaches U.S. Supreme Court

It
constitutes the first legal challenge to the widespread use of nontransparent
voting systems. Voting by machine or absentee , Landes claims, introduces
obstacles and concealment to a process that must be accessible and transparent
in a meaningful and effective manner.
The defendants in the Landes lawsuit are Margaret Tartaglione , Chair of
the City Commissioners of Philadelphia; Pedro A.

participate encourages

Constitution," said Ambassador Young . With its worsening voter-turnout trend, America ranks 139th
of 172 countries in voter participation .
The lawsuit was originally filed by freelance journalist Lynn Landes in
July of 2004 in Philadelphia federal court (U.
Early American history seems to favor the Landes position.net

politics elections

Ambassador Andrew Young Provides Solutions to Increase Low Voter Turnout at Major Public Officials Conference

In a survey
conducted by Ed Goeas of the Tarrance Group and Celinda Lake of Lake Research
Partners for Why Tuesday?, 62 percent of American voters were in favor of
election reform.

participate 2007

For more information, please visit http://www. Supreme Court (Docket No. The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled
against Landes on November 2, 2005.

conducted consultative

"
According to recent Census results, Americans list "too busy/schedule
conflicts" more often than any other reason for not voting.org /lawsuit.

consultative eca

Ambassador Young is the chair of Why Tuesday?, a bi-partisan group that is
looking to increase voter participation by moving the federal Election Day
from the first Tuesday in November to the first Saturday and Sunday in the
month.

elections quota

6% of all votes are processed by machines and approximately 30%
of all voting is conducted early or by absentee.
The defendants' response is due at the Supreme Court no later than
February 24, 2006.

commissioners eca

He says doing so would likely increase the percentage of eligible
voters who go to the polls.
Landes is representing herself in this action. Cortes , Secretary of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and Alberto Gonzales, Attorney General of the
United States.

encourages proportional

transferable stv

"Holding national elections on Tuesdays is not required by the U.S.
Additionally , Ambassador Young supports use of a photo ID for voters - the
recommendation made by the Commission on Federal Election Reform, headed by
former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker. Why Tuesday? welcomes
community and national leaders, voters and non-voters, young and old,
Republicans and Democrats. 05-930).
In her lawsuit Landes claims that, as a voter and a journalist, she has
the right to direct access to a physical ballot and to observe the voting
process unimpeded. Landes
counters that she has the right to challenge the constitutionality of acts of
the legislative branch under federal statute and case law, most significantly
under Marbury v . Madison, 5 U.
Today, 94.doc.

hare ballots

This isn't the case anymore, and Tuesday is one of the least
accessible days for people to get out and vote whether you're a working mom,
CEO or blue collar worker. It 's clear to me
that without direct access to a physical ballot and meaningful transparency in
the process, our elections have no integrity whatsoever," says Landes.

participate understand

"This Election Day was established in
1845 by federal law because, in that agrarian time, it was the most convenient
day to do it . District Court for the
Eastern District of Pennsylvania). 137 (1803).EcoTalk.

territory politics

Attorneys for the defendants have successfully fought Landes, claiming
that she did not prove an injury and therefore does not have standing. Prior to the
Civil War, voting was a public and transparent process.

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Still , he adds: "A required state-issued ID won't solve America's significant
electoral challenges.S.

participate consultative

"I tried to get civil rights organizations interested in this case, but
had no luck.org
Lynn Landes, publisher
215-629-3553
lynnlandes@earthlink.

understand politics

2007 participate

"

Why Tuesday? is a bi-partisan group that is looking to increase voter
participation by moving the federal Election Day from the first Tuesday in
November to the first Saturday and Sunday in the month.S.

territory eca

Their disregard for this issue is incredible.

eca parliamentary

Specifically, the lawsuit challenges the use of voting
machines and absentee voting in elections for public office.