N.C., Fla. Lawmakers Revise Election Codes

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush forged the Select Task Force on Election Procedures, Standards and Technology last month to recommend reforms to the Florida legislature by March 6. The committee consists of 21 state members -- 10 Democrats, 10 Republicans and one Independent.

Meanwhile, in North Carolina, Senator Pro Tem Marc Basnight, D-Dare, formed the Joint Committee on Voting Procedures to review N.C. ballot procedures and methods of casting votes.

Basnight and N.C. House Speaker Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, are both responsible for appointing an equal number of committee members. Black has not yet announced his nominations to the committee.

Rob Lamme, spokesman for Basnight, said the need for the committee was prompted by the post-election chaos in Florida. "The senator, like so many other people, was disturbed by what happened down in Florida," Lamme said.

Sen. Fletcher Hartsell, R-Cabarrus, who was appointed to the committee by Basnight, said the committee's purpose is not only to focus on issues brought up by the 2000 presidential election, like vote recount procedures and news reporting, but also to rewrite the election code as a whole. "(The election code) is a series of amendments and modifications that have been added to the code," Hartsell said.

The election code dates back 30 to 40 years, when the voting process was quite different, marked mainly by paper ballots and lacking current computer technology.

"Now that different methods of voting have been introduced, the code needs to be straightened out and streamlined," Hartsell said. "The issue here is being certain the public at large has confidence in the process."

He also said the committee's goal to introduce voting standards entails the need "to make sure people have the confidence that their votes will be counted."

But ensuring the confidence of voters does not mean across-the-board changes for voting procedures in North Carolina, officials say. Lamme said Basnight recognizes different counties will need different remedies. "Counties need the flexibility to run elections," he said.

For example, ballot casting could differ from county to county, depending on rural and city population, Lamme said.

Hartsell said that personal familiarity with such complications prompted him to accept Basnight's appointment.

"As a county attorney, I've become familiar with the process, mechanics -- what works and doesn't work."

In the summer of 1999, a N.C. Election Laws Study Commission was formed to recommend election code revisions to the N.C. legislature.

Lamme said the commission's report findings will be presented to the newly formed committee, which in turn could use that information to make recommendations to the state legislature.

Lamme said the commission will expire when the N.C. General Assembly legislative session opens later this month.

Sen. Wilber Gully, D-Durham, a member of the commission, said it has made multiple recommendations to the General Assembly, including making it easier for third-party candidates to get on the state ballot.

Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader could not get on the ballot in North Carolina because his supporters did not meet the deadline to submit the more than 50,000 signatures that he needed to appear on the election ballot.

"We recommended five different changes to lower barriers (for) third or fourth parties," Gully said.

Gully said the study commission recommended more state involvement to update voting methods and equipment to 21st century standards.

"We don't want to end up like Florida."

Allison Mitchener contributed to this story.

The State & National Editor can be reached at stntdesk@unc.edu.