Boone County: Observers like local process, chide U.S. polls

[kuozzman]

http://www.columbiatribune.com/2004/Dec/20041216News007.asp

Two observers from Canada and South Africa visited Boone County for the Nov. 2 election and were apparently impressed by what they saw.

A report issued yesterday described Boone County�fs election process as "exemplary," citing effective training for poll workers, high-tech tools for election judges and the implementation of five "super precincts" to handle voters with registration problems.

"In Boone County the election proceeded smoothly and successfully," the report said.

Boone County Clerk Wendy Noren, who in the past has traveled to eastern Europe to observe elections, said the praise was a credit to "all the people who worked so hard to get this thing accomplished."

Had the election been closer, the report said, problems with the system "could have thrown the elections into protracted dispute."

The report�fs recommendations included:

�œ National standards for the conduct of elections.

�œ Management of elections by nonpartisan officials.

�œ A paper trail for touch-screen voting.

�œ Measures to ease congestion at the polls, such as early voting or making Election Day a national holiday.