James M. Jeffords: “We are here today in this extraordinary session to discuss a challenge to Ohio's electors. It was gratifying to see the…”

“We are here today in this extraordinary session to discuss a challenge to Ohio's electors. It was gratifying to see the high level of interest in the election create such a large voter turnout. However, it was discouraging to hear of the problems that affected the election in many parts of the country, including Ohio. Representative Conyers, other House Democrats, and individuals across this country deserve our thanks for the important work they have done to document the issues that arose from the 2004 election. I would also like to thank Senator Boxer and Representative Tubbs Jones for their diligence in bringing this issue to the forefront. All voters deserve to get answers, and corrective actions, to the reported irregularities and flaws of the 2004 election. As my colleagues may know, the Government Accountability Office, GAO, is currently conducting a comprehensive investigation of many of the issues raised in the 2004 election. I am very supportive of this investigation, and believe that through a complete and full investigation by the GAO, answers to the questions raised regarding the 2004 election will be obtained. The information the GAO obtains will allow the Congress to take appropriate action to address the problems uncovered. At a minimum, there are two changes to our election system that should be implemented by the Congress: requiring a paper trail for electronic voting machines and creating a national standard for provisional ballots.”