Plan includes using electronic poll books for check-in
DES MOINES, Iowa - Today, Brad Anderson, candidate for Iowa Secretary of State, releases his plan to strengthen the integrity of the caucuses and keep Iowa first in the nation.
The caucuses are, and must remain strictly a party function run independently by the Republican Party of Iowa and the Iowa Democratic Party. This ensures we will maintain our special relationship with New Hampshire and our first in the nation status with the two national parties.
Although there is no formal role the state should play in the caucuses, given the importance of the caucuses in the nomination process, as well as to Iowa's reputation and economy, there are ways the next Iowa Secretary of State can be supportive to keep Iowa first in the nation.
"I commend both parties for exploring ways to increase participation in the caucuses," said Anderson. "I believe any caucus reforms should include measures to strengthen the integrity of the caucuses to further ensure only eligible Iowa voters are participating. The technology exists to strengthen caucus integrity, shorten lines and modernize the check-in process, and the Secretary of State's office can play a vital role in assisting the parties by providing technical support and quality data. Given the record participation we saw in the caucuses in 2008, the time has come to utilize 21st Century innovation such as electronic poll books to accommodate the tremendous interest in the Iowa caucuses."
ANDERSON PLAN TO STRENGTHEN CAUCUS INTEGRITY AND KEEP IOWA FIRST IN THE NATION:
- ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT USE OF ELECTRONIC POLL BOOKS FOR CAUCUS CHECK-IN: Strengthening the integrity of the caucuses should be a top priority for both parties. In the age of Twitter, any perceived impropriety could be tweeted, re-tweeted and become viral in a matter of minutes. Both parties should utilize 21st Century solutions to ensure only eligible caucus-goers are attending and participating in the process. The days of printing out reams of paper with outdated lists of eligible caucus-goers for volunteers to reference during the cumbersome check-in process must come to an end. Parties should be encouraged to utilize electronic poll book technology that would provide up-to-date lists and allow Iowans to check-in electronically. I believe the next Secretary of State should work with each of the parties to develop and support an affordable, efficient and effective electronic poll book that would allow caucus participants to easily check-in and allow volunteers to immediately confirm eligibility. Utilizing existing technology to develop a caucus poll book will increase the speed of development and cut down on cost for the parties.
- MAINTAIN OPEN DIALOGUE WITH NEW HAMPSHIRE SECRETARY OF STATE: For decades Iowa has had a productive, working relationship with New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner. Maintaining this relationship must be a priority for Iowa's next Secretary of State. As Iowa Republicans and Democrats search for ways to increase participation and strengthen the integrity of the process, we must continue to engage New Hampshire and the national parties to ensure the caucuses remain a true caucus and adhere to the spirit and guidelines of the nomination calendar.
###
