Election bills under debate

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- With statewide elections just a few months off, legislators are debating whether to revise voting procedures to avert problems like those that occurred in Missouri and elsewhere in 2000.

The Senate and House spent most of Tuesday debating their respective bills but made little headway toward first-round approval.

"There's need for election reform in this state," said Rep. Jim Seigfreid, D-Marshall, who is sponsoring the House bill.

Sen. Anita Yeckel, R-St. Louis, is sponsoring that chamber's version.

Seigfreid's proposal would allow for "provisional" voting in statewide and federal elections by people whose eligibility nay be in question, and 14 days of advance voting in presidential election years.

The bill also would require governors' inaugural committees to publicly report their finances if they want to receive state money. That provision had been a Republican issue since Democratic Gov. Bob Holden spent $1 million on his inauguration festivities last year, largely through private donations.

"I think it's a respectful way to tell the governor he was wrong," said Rep. Jon Dolan, R-Lake St. Louis. "I don't think the next inaugural will be as grand."

Rep. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, also testified about the bill on financing inaugurations.

Hoping to address election problems in St. Louis two years ago, the Senate bill would allow the secretary of state to investigate election violations and subpoena certain records after an election. Republican Secretary of State Matt Blunt backs the bill.

The Democratic-controlled House blocked an effort to include similar language.

"Every prosecutor in the state is equipped to handle election fraud," said Rep. Tim Harlan, D-Columbia.

Advanced voting

Under both proposals, voters would be able to cast ballots in presidential years weeks ahead of the election.

Rep. May Scheve, D-St. Louis, argued that advance voting should be adopted only if lawmakers are serious about funding it.

The bill would allow advance voting only if the Legislature provides the extra money.

"That means sometimes we are going to be voting early and sometimes we are not, all depending on the whim of the General Assembly," said Rep. Mike Reid, R-Hazelwood.

Both bills also allow provisional ballots for voters whose eligibility is questioned by election authorities. It would be up to an election authority to determine a provisional voter's eligibility before the ballot would count.

Also included in the bills are grant programs, dependent on funding, for computerizing and improving election systems.

Efforts to revise Missouri's election laws are partly a response to the snags in Florida that temporarily cast doubt on the outcome of the 2000 presidential race. In addition, Blunt released a report concluding that court orders issued in the city and county of St. Louis improperly allowed 1,233 people to vote in November 2000.

Several of Blunt's proposed reforms were put before the Legislature last year, but a weakened version died on the final day of the session.

On Tuesday, senators approved a variety of minor amendments to this year's version, including a provision that would prevent outside election judges from being brought in to counties where they do not reside.

The Senate also gave its approval to an amendment that prevents the state from covering about $2.5 million in election-related costs currently paid by counties.