EXCERPT

Americans are still waiting for the federal government to step in to fix the numerous deficiencies in the nation's electoral process that were ncovered by last year's close presidential race. Members of Congress and President Bush will be politically foolish, not to mention neglectful in their duties, if they duck the problem and simply allow America's patchwork of thousands of underfinanced electoral jurisdictions to continue carrying on as if nothing had happened. Americans' right to vote, and the chances of having their ballots accurately tabulated, must not be diluted by their local government's neglect. There is a clear need for national standards governing how presidential elections are administered.

This article is not available online to the general public. Please visit the New York Times website or your local library for information on how to retrieve the full text of this piece.