The extraordinarily lengthy and controversial resolution of the 2000 U.S. presidential election provided tens of millions of Americans with a national civics lesson. For some, it was an introduction to the mechanics of the Electoral College, and the reality that the national popular vote does not always square with the only count that matters—the electoral vote. For others, the dead-heat finish, in which several hundred BALLOTS in Florida determined the outcome of an election in which over a hundred million ballots were cast, led to sober reflection on the responsibilities and potential power of individual citizens. But for most, the striking and troubling feature of the lesson was the discovery of the underside of American democracy—the highly decentralized, non-uniform, antiquated, confusing, error-prone, under-budgeted, poorly-staffed, arbitrary, and politicized manner that is too much a part of the way that federal elections are administered. Reports from Florida indicated that tens of THOUSANDS of eligible voters, many times the margin of victory of George W. Bush, were DISENFRANCHISED because their names were improperly purged from registration rolls or because their ballots were spoiled. What Americans had TAKEN for granted—that those who have a right to vote are able to do so, and have their votes counted accurately—was now seriously open to question.

The Florida election debacle, and the dawning realization that serious problems casting and counting votes exist throughout the country, produced a clarion call to document the flaws and take decisive steps to ensure that future elections are administered consistent with the very highest standards Americans expect of their democracy. Major news organizations produced a series of informative reports on the nuts and bolts of elections that had seldom before captured the attention and resources of editors and producers. At least eight major lawsuits were filed to address the problems experienced by different groups of voters in November. A flood of legislation—calling for studies, public subsidies, and new standards for voting equipment, registration rolls, and vote counts—was introduced in Congress and in the 50 state legislatures. Dozens of national and state commissions, study groups, and committees were charged with analyzing shortcomings in the election system and formulating recommendations for improvement. The stage appeared to be SET for a major public policy initiative to deal seriously with the widespread flaws revealed by the 2000 election.

Stalled Reform Efforts

Not surprisingly, the pace of election reform slowed and prospects for speedy enactment of major legislation dimmed as policymakers confronted a host of substantive, legal, and political complications. Early talk of a uniform national ballot quieted as the constraints of the federal system became apparent. Hopes for a quick technological fix faded as contradictory evidence on the impact of different types of voting equipment across the country was uncovered and