Are America's Elections Fair and Competent?

June 13, 2007
A Conference at the National Press Club

Are America's elections as fair and professionally-conducted as Mexico's? Such a question would have been laughable fifteen years ago. Today, the question is not a joke, and the answer also isn't funny: "no." American University's Center for Democracy and Election Management (CDEM) hosted "Change the Way America Runs Its Elections," a conference which examined our current problems and offered new proposals.

Rep. Susan A. Davis (D-CA)

Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ)

Keynote Speeches

Two distinguished members of Congress, Representatives Susan Davis (D-CA) and Rush Holt (D-NJ), delivered the keynote speeches at the "Change the Way America Runs Its Elections" conference on June 13, 2007 at the National Press Club.

• Listen to Part 1
  (For broadband only)
• Listen to Part 2
  (For broadband only)
• Event Photos

Media Coverage

• Listen to the June 14, 2007 Kojo Nnamdi Show in which Robert A. Pastor discusses nonpartisan election administration along with other panelists. Download as:
  • Real Audio
  • Windows Media
    
    
• Conference examines election issues
  By Mike Unger, American Weekly, June 15, 2007

Background Materials

• Conference Agenda and Press Release
  
  
• Speaker Bios and CDEM Experts Guide
  
  
• Excerpts on Election Administration from the Report of the Carter-Baker Commission
  
  
• View the full report of the Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform
  
  
• Executive Summary: Model Legislation for State Independent Election Commissions
  
  
• Draft Legislation for State Independent Election Commissions
  
  
• Progress Report: Carter-Baker Commission on Federal Election Reform: Status of the Recommendations

  (Released on 6/12/2007)

For inquiries or questions about this event, contact David Mikosz via email at mikosz@american.edu or via phone at (202) 885-1538.