Making Votes Count

An archive of New York Times editorials on the flaws in the mechanics of our democracy.

In this presidential election year, the Times's editorial page is examining the flaws in the mechanics of our democracy, including the reliability of electronic voting machines, obstacles to voter registration and turnout, and the lack of competitive congressional elections due to partisan drawing of district lines. The project is being led by editorial writer Adam Cohen, who will be traveling throughout the country to research these issues. The following is an archive of editorials from the series:

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Insurance for Electronic Votes
With millions of voters set to use electronic voting machines of questionable reliability, the public should insist that protections be put in place right away. (July 23, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/23/opinion/23fri1.html

Felons and the Right to Vote
Denying the vote to felons is antidemocratic, and undermines the nation's commitment to rehabilitating people who have paid their debt to society. (July 11, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/11/opinion/11SUN1.html

An Umpire Taking Sides
A major flaw in America's electoral system is that the top election officers are often publicly rooting for the Democratic or Republican side. (July 9, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/09/opinion/09FRI1.html

Indians Face Obstacles Between the Reservation and the Ballot Box
Mistreatment of Indian voters in South Dakota is a discredit to American democracy that the state government and the Justice Department must address. (June 21, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/21/opinion/21MON4.html

Gambling on Voting
If election officials want to convince voters that electronic voting can be trusted, they should be willing to make it at least as secure as slot machines. (June 13, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/13/opinion/13SUN1.html

The Disability Lobby and Voting
Disability-rights groups are clouding the voting machine debate by suggesting that the nation must choose between accessible voting and verifiable voting. (June 11, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/11/opinion/11FRI1.html

Who Tests Voting Machines?
The process of testing voting machines is riddled with problems, including conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency. (May 30, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/30/opinion/30SUN1.html

Voting Reform Could Backfire
There is a real danger that provisional balloting will be undermined by a lack of commitment and diligence by local election officials. (May 09, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/09/opinion/09SUN2.html

A Compromised Voting System
There are compelling reasons for California's secretary of state to decertify the state's electronic voting machines, even at this late date. (April 24, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/24/opinion/24SAT1.html

Bad New Days for Voting Rights
Minority vote suppression persists, often under the guise of programs that are supposed to deter fraud at the polls. (April 18, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/18/opinion/18SUN1.html

The Confusion Over Voter ID
The process by which voters prove who they are has largely been left to election professionals. It shouldn't be. (April 4, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/04/opinion/04SUN3.html

When the Umpires Take Sides
The system that allows partisanship to creep into the administration of elections should be dismantled. (March 29, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/29/opinion/29MON1.html

Florida as the Next Florida
Four years after Florida made a mockery of American elections, there is every reason to believe it could happen again. (March 14, 2004)

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/14/opinion/14SUN1.html