Election Reform

Robert P. Watson

It rings hollow when our government claims to be promoting democracy and freedom around the world, yet our elections in Florida could not pass the test. The League of Women Voters and so many other civic-minded organizations are correct in calling for a comprehensive array of campaign and election reforms. I could not agree more and echo their arguments in my book Counting Votes: Lessons Learned from the Florida 2000 Election.

Career politicians more concerned with their own self interest and beholden to special interests have shown that they are disinterested in true reform. There are a number of important reform issues still unaddressed by Congress. One of the more indefensible practices is "gerrymandering," the process of allowing politicians to design legislative districts that make it nearly impossible for a current office holder to be defeated.

Take a look at our districts in south Florida… they look like modern art, zig-zagging unnaturally and dividing communities, all the while protecting the incumbents. The Florida Legislature has created the safest possible seats for themselves and their cronies by hand-picking their voters. I'm sure you share my view that, in elections, voters should pick their representatives, not vice versa.

I favor having a neutral board of scholars and experts propose the districts, with a mandate that they keep communities in the same districts, and that the process be overseen by a three-judge panel and citizens' review board.

Politics has become a shouting match between extremists. Talk radio has become hate radio. It is no wonder that many people dislike politics and don't vote. But I know it is possible to disagree without being disagreeable. The transformation of the culture of politics can occur but it requires a return to civil discourse and civic debate and a rejection of the politics of negative attacks.