Standardize voting procedures

After close and contentious elections in Florida in 2000 and again here in Washington last year, we are finally hearing rumblings that perhaps it would be a good idea to address the procedures that are used in the conduct of the elections, and perhaps it is really not about voting systems that are being used, rather it may be the procedures to mail out, receive, process and tabulate the votes.

Aha! At last! A glimmer of light in the darkness! Absolutely, it is about procedures, and the fact that all election administrators (if not nationwide then at least statewide) should be on the same page when it comes to the conduct of elections.

There needs to be statewide standardized written procedures promulgated by the office of the secretary of state so that in future elections there will be little or no question about what is being done and how it is being done.

Perhaps a good place to start would be for the Washington state county auditors association to form its own task force committee to brainstorm those procedures to be submitted to the secretary of state.

Voter confidence in future election results may well depend upon such a proactive stance being taken.

Tom Wilbur

Spokane, WA

The Spokesman Review