NCJW Calls for Open and Fair Electoral Processes

October 30, 2006, New York, NY -- The Board of Directors of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) issued the following statement regarding voting processes and practices:

"The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) recognizes that open and fair elections are fundamental to a strong democratic society, and we oppose any measures that would make our voting process more difficult, less inclusive, or less accountable. Our collective confidence in and the very credibility of the electoral process depends on the certainty that every vote cast will be counted.

"Widespread reports describing how prospective voters were turned away from polling places after long waits are troubling. So, too, is the fact that in some communities many names were purged from voting lists, individuals received inaccurate information about their polling places, and others were denied the right to cast provisional ballots. New voting machines also pose serious problems because they are often confusing to operate or lack reliable back-up technology to ensure accurate vote recounts.

"Most alarming are the measures requiring that voters show government-issued photo IDs -- policies that impose a disproportionate burden on the poor, elderly, and disabled who often lack the means to acquire such documentation. NCJW is gratified that courts have struck down such laws in several states, but we are disturbed by the fact that similar measures are still under consideration around the country and at the federal level.

"NCJW urges all elected officials and legislators to address these issues by acting to approve election reform laws and policies that eliminate flaws in the voting process. The focus must be placed upon creative solutions that will ensure the validity and fairness of all elections, honoring the hard-fought struggles by individuals throughout our nation's history to extend the right to vote to every citizen."

NCJW is a volunteer organization, inspired by Jewish values, that works to improve the quality of life for women, children, and families and to ensure individual rights and freedoms for all through its network of 90,000 members, supporters, and volunteers nationwide.

Contact:
Vanessa Schnaidt
212 645 4048 x179; vschnaidt@ncjw.org