Scott Novakowski, a senior policy analyst for Demos, submitted this post as a guest blogger for The Hill.

Americans are by now well aware of the widespread problems that shook our election system in 2000 and in 2004. Congressional leaders have introduced legislation to address these issues, and research studies and news investigations have looked into some of the most egregious problems that disenfranchised eligible citizens. But as news reports in this off-year election, newly illuminated problems from 2006, and recent congressional hearings have shown, there’s still a lot of work to be done to ensure the integrity of the election process, particularly in the often-overlooked area of provisional balloting.

According to a recent news report, voters in Utah were illegally denied provisional ballots in the Ogden, Utah, mayoral race. The American Civil Liberties Union of Utah has received complaints from voters who were denied provisional ballots and turned away from the polls after their names ended up on a challenge list circulated by the campaign of incumbent Mayor Matthew Godfrey. For his part, Godfrey also claims that some of his supporters were turned away from the polls without being offered a provisional ballot. The ACLU has launched an investigation into the irregularities.

Media reports in Virginia, leading up to that state’s recent General Assembly elections, suggested that problems with the state’s new computerized voter registration system could have driven many voters to cast provisional ballots. Fortunately, and largely through happenstance, those problems were averted. But not before several counties publicly questioned the accuracy of their election information and a registrar from Charlottesville went so far as to warn the county’s elected officials to expect problems on Election Day. If the predicted meltdown had occurred, provisional ballots would have been the only safety-net available to these voters. Read the rest of this entry »

A Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad sarcastically thanks Republicans for higher prices at the pump.

From what I saw of Wednesday night’s debate, Rudy Giuliani again proved he has command of the issues that matter most in this presidential race, and that he has the bearing to be chief executive of this nation.

A new Hillary Clinton ad released Thursday addresses the country’s economic problems and fears of a recession. In the ad, Clinton promises to end corporate tax breaks and give a break to average citizens. Clinton also says she will create new jobs and cut the deficit. All problems the New York Senator says she’ll be ready to solve “on day one.”

Voters were able to see a clear difference between candidates in the most recent Republican debate.  While some candidates chose to throw jabs back and forth, Fred Thompson stayed focused on the issues.  His answers were both thoughtful and strong.  He offered specific plans on big issues facing our nation, such as social security.  Fred is running a campaign based on his core beliefs, beliefs that he has held his entire life and that was evident during the debate.

In a web video, John Edwards’ campaign attacks Mitt Romney for saying, during Wednesday’s debate, that “every time I listen to someone like John Edwards get on TV and say there are two Americas I just want to throw something at the TV. Because there are not two Americas, there is one America.”

Of the five U.S. International Trade Commission members, only one clearly understands the meaning of the simple word “injury.�

Only Charlotte R. Lane voted last week to sustain penalties against paper imported from three Asian countries because cheating by those foreign countries and companies had caused incredible damage to American companies and workers.

Her four fellow commissioners decided that a Dayton, Ohio paper company called NewPage Corp. and other U.S.  manufacturers of glossy paper used in magazines and catalogs had been neither “materially injured� nor “threatened with material injury� by subsidies that the Chinese, Indonesian and South Korean governments give to paper companies in their countries.

Subsidized imports have shut down 20 percent of the domestic paper industry. They’ve also forced massive layoffs by paper mills — a total of 19 percent of all United Steelworkers employed by paper companies since 2004. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a little while since throwing the rock into the lake, so Mike Gravel has come storming back with the an psychedelic experience saying, “power to the people, give peace a chance.”

Congress Blog Editor Andy Barr and Staff Writer Sam Youngman recap the CNN/YouTube Republican debate.

I was saddened to learn this morning of the passing of Chairman Henry Hyde. I had the privilege of working with Chairman Hyde on the International Affairs Committee. He was a wonderful man with a big heart and an intellect unmatched. A public servant who understood history and our place in it better than most, he served our country and the people of Illinois honorably and with great dignity for several decades. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.