We must fix the electoral system
People are so fixated on action NOW! that they are losing sight of the big picture.
The votes are still being counted in Ohio. If the provisional ballots narrow the gap to a point where fraud could've cost us the election, the Democrats and Kerry will fight. Fraud did not cost us 120,000 votes. However, if that narrows to 30-40,000 votes, then that changes things significantly.
Thing is, we don't have enough information to make any determinations yet. And by crying wolf too soon, and too often, no one would believe us if solid evidence does present itself. We have lawyers tallying the irregularities and watching over the vote count. If there's reason to act in Ohio, we'll have it.
Regardless of the outcome, we have yet more evidence that the current system doesn't work. While there may or may not have been a systematic effort to steal the election via fraud, fact is, there were enough irregularities to cast doubt on the integrity of the system.
Voting Machines
There should be a national standard, based on the systems that can best protect the integrity of the vote while being hack-proof. I don't know what that system is, but it either exists, or can be developed. A paper trail is a must.
Voting lines
This was the biggest travesty this cycle. No one should have to wait more than an hour to vote. Period. I'd venture to guess that we probably lost more votes to people unable to sit in line for hours, than we did due to bad voting machines.
This needs to be addressed. More voting booths. Expanded vote by mail (or pull an Oregon and do ALL voting by mail). Expanded early voting, with more voting booths and polling locations open.
Same-day registration
We cna't have a situation where RNC-funded voter registration outfits are tearing up Democratic voter registrations in Nevada, Oregon, and probably elsewhere around the nation. Same-day registration is the answer. Five or six states already have same day registration.
There are valid concerns about fraud -- a person could go precinct by precinct signing up to vote in multiple locations. It's the GOP's biggest argument against same-day registration, and one that can be solved with the use of a centralized database. Phone in a voters ID number, and get told whether s/he has registered already.
Picture ID
Democrats have generally fought the requirement to show a picture ID when voting, and it's a stupid fight. We have to show ID for just about everything we do -- banking transactions, commercial transactions, driving, etc. There is no reason why we shouldn't require picture ID when voting. The potential for fraud otherwise exists, and it gives the GOP a handy counterargument for voter reform.
So give the GOP this one. It won't just hopefully build support for bipartisan voter reform, but it's the right thing to do.
John Kerry
Kerry should make this his Big Cause. He's got a 2-million-strong email list that will likely be put to work. If Ohio becomes a battleground, then great. If it doesn't, Kerry should devote the next four years to proposing and pushing voter reform initiatives, both at the federal and state levels.
Given how much (cynical) crying the GOP was making about voter fraud on election day, they have put themselves on the record against voter fraud. Great. It's a bipartisan issue, and it should be tackled on a bipartisan fashion. It's not just a political necessity (we are the minority party), but we should strive for an electoral process that gives partisans on all sides confidence that the will of the people will carry the day.