County works to implement voting reforms.

Byline: GUEST VIEWPOINT By Bobby Green For The Register-Guard

You can't take the right to vote for granted. Past elections have shown that each and every vote does count. That's why the Help America Vote Act, adopted by Congress and signed into law, has been lauded by everyone from government officials to concerned citizens.

The legislation phases out punch-card voting systems, provides funding for new voting machines for voters with disabilities, requires statewide centralized voter registration systems and standardizes voter identification provisions.

Lane County government's goal is to implement HAVA quickly. Progress has been made in several areas.

Voter identification practices were implemented in January. They require new voters who register by mail to provide identification. Voters who register without providing identification still will be registered, but will receive a letter from the county clerk reminding them of the identification requirement. Their record is flagged. If they do not provide the required identification by the next federal election, their ballot will be processed as a provisional ballot with an additional request for the required identification.

This process will be in place until Oregon fully implements a statewide centralized voter registration system during the next few years.

The secretary of state's office is currently negotiating a contract with a vendor to implement a statewide centralized voter registration system. This is a complicated project involving all 36 counties and will be completed in time for the first federal election in 2006.

Lane County is one of three Oregon counties still using punch-card ballots. It will soon entertain bids for a new optical scan ballot tabulation system. The awarding of a contract and the identification of a new location for the Lane County Elections Division (the new system requires more space) could put the optical scanning system online as early as the March 2004 special election, but not later than 2005.

Providing voting machines that are accessible for voters with disabilities is a key provision of HAVA. Oregon intends to purchase direct recording electronic voting machines so that voters with disabilities have the option of casting their vote independently, on a machine permanently stationed at the county elections office or on a mobile unit that can be transported to a location that best accommodates the voter.

The voting device must have manual audit capacity and acceptable error rate standards. The research and coordination with the 36 counties would make the system available in time for the federal elections of 2006.

Citizens are urged to "Get Out the Vote." That's because everyone's vote is important in determining local, state and national issues. Lane County is looking forward to completing the processes that will continue to ensure our voting system is as secure and accessible as possible. HAVA is welcome here!

Bobby Green represents the north Eugene district on the Lane County Board of Commissioners.