When public access to voting is impaired or when public confidence in voting is diluted, democracy suffers and our freedom is less secure.

Democracy means that you have the right to vote without intimidation and undue burdens.

It's an embarrassment that we don't have a broad enough consensus among political leaders that true reform should take place.

What we say is that democracy means that you have the right to vote without intimidation and undue burdens. But if you stand in line for six hours, technically, today there is no document, no standard, no law that says that that's wrong.

The Election Assistance Commission represents a major, unprecedented commitment from the federal government to sustained freedom and vibrant democracy. I am humbled by the prospect of being one its charter members.

I found that there is very little interest in Washington for true election reform. That neither the White House nor either house of the Congress seems to be as committed to guaranteeing democratic participation in this country as we seem to be in other countries.

When public access to voting is impaired or when public confidence in voting is diluted, democracy suffers and our freedom is less secure.