In many areas of the country, there have been no voting machines available at election time or those machines have malfunctions. Long and slow lines of people must que up to vote. Ballots are misprinted. Registration records become lost, misplaced or intentionally altered. The long ballot dissuades many potential voters. This is further exacerbated by the straight party symbol in some States which discourages ticket splitting and intelligent decisionmaking. Election laws have become ever more complicated and inconsistent. It is no wonder the results are frequently disputed, necessitating expensive recounts and litigation. Redistricting and reapportionment have further complicated the picture. It has been almost impossible to apply existing laws and regulations uniformally.

Moreover, many States have no single statewide elections administrator. Local governments are often charged with the administration of election laws.

I believe that standardization and uniformity of administrative procedures and practices are absolutely necessary. This will require the development of Federal guidelines, but not Federal election administration or federally imposed detailed State administrative procedures. Such guidelines should include increased professionalism in elections administrations; public scrutiny of the system; delegated authority over election conduct; the training of local elections officials; standardized registration forms; and uniform interpretation and application of election laws.

I believe any Federal legislation should give the States the flexibility they need to administer their election laws under the diverse circumstances in different areas of the country. Post cards may provide the most efficient means of registration in certain areas. Door-to-door canvasing may be best in others. Additional registrars may be necessary in still others. Other States may find it best to spend a great deal of their money on voter education.

But each of these is only a different method to solve the primary problem: Identification of the voter.

The most important problem facing the States in their administration of the election laws is to identify all eligible voters. By the same token a corollary is the identification of those voters who are ineligible.

In Alaska out of 148,960 people registered as of October 29 last year, 20,000 to 25,000 have moved and left no forwarding address. Therefore, although the registration figures indicate a 95- to 100-percent registration according to the 1970 census, in reality the figure is closer to 83 percent. Parenthetically, these figures are up from less than 100,000 registered voters only 2 years ago. This was quite a jump.

This dramatic rise in registration was no accident. Alaska has undertaken an intensive registration effort in the last 2 years. We have concentrated on registering Alaska Natives in the bush. This involves village-to-village efforts at personal registration. Deputy registrars who speak the local dialects are employed as are translators. Bilingual radio broadcasts urge villagers to register. The program has been outstandingly successful, 85 to 90 percent of the villagers of rural Alaska are now registered.

We have also instituted a high school registration program. Prior to 1971, only 10 percent of the high school students were registered.

We have instituted intensive registration efforts in high schools throughout the State. High school students have been appointed special temporary registrars for their student bodies. This has received great publicity and has been equally successful as the registration in the bush program. About 90 percent of the eligible high school students are now registered. This includes students in the classes of 1971, 1972, and 1973.

But both these Outreach programs involve more than post card registration efforts. They involve intensive educational and publicity efforts. They also indicate the need for flexibility according to the situation facing the individual States. In how many States is a bilingual registration in the bush program necessary? But in Alaska universal registration would be impossible without such a program.

This is not to downgrade the importance of registration by mail. Alaska uses a system of witnessed mail registration. However, no State can rely entirely on registration by any one method. These Outreach programs are only examples of the diverse methods followed in only one State of the Union.

The major problem facing my office is the identification of eligible voters. There is a similar problem facing every other State. One aspect of the problem is the prevention of duplicate registration and voting. If election materials are mailed out and returned "address unknown, this requires a correction of our files.

The major tool necessary to solve the problem is a computer housing a massive data bank. Alaska's list is now on a computer. The list must be, as I have indicated, constantly updated-perhaps quarterly. Ideally, this effort should take place in off-election years. Unfortunately, as a practical matter, most of the corrective material is received shortly before elections.

Each State should have such a data system. We envision an "on line" voter registration program, similar to that utilized by the airlines in ticketing passengers. This could be used by deputy registrars to change names, change addresses, change party affiliations, and regis

ter new voters.

Each voter would receive an identification number, probably his social security number. By encoding this information, it would be possible for the State to interrogate the computer to determine if the voter were registered elsewhere in the State. The voter would be given a receipt of registration on the spot. At the same time the registrar could ask the voter whether he was registered elsewhere and, if so, make a notation to this effect. Because of the instantaneous nature of this system, persons could be registered up to the last minute. Shortly after the information was transmitted to the centralized data bank in the State, the computer would be able to notify any other State registrar automatically that the voter wished to be stricken from the voting list in his previous home State. This would prevent duplicate registration.

Periodically, possibly once a month, the up-to-date master list, either in printout form or on tape, could be transmitted to a national centralized data bank, possibly in the Census Bureau. This would provide additional coordination and cross-checking to prevent duplicate registration. States would be notified of any voters registered at the

same time in more than one jurisdiction. Moreover, this information would provide a continuing accurate national census. Such information would be doubly helpful because census subdivisions in many cases coincide with political subdivisions. Thirdly, such a national coordination center would provide a permanent cadre of statisticians who could assist the State. Such a system would also provide a secure backup voter list in the event the original was lost or destroyed.

Such a comprehensive data bank would prevent fraud. It would keep voting lists accurate. Perhaps most importantly, it would assist our mobile population to retain the franchise. It would prevent the present disinfranchisement of new arrivals.

By the same token, it would not provide for arbitrary removal of persons from the list. Alaska, for example, requires that if a person does not vote at least once every 4 years, he must be notified that he must reregister. Such a system could provide for automatic notification in such cases.

Alaska is presently studying the possibility of installing just such an on-line registration system within our State. We can already instantly retrieve data on motor vehicle registration, tax return information, fishing and hunting licenses. The technology to apply these techniques to voter registration already exists. We should utilize it.

The information we will need is basic: the voter's name, his address. his social security number, his age-at least whether he is over 18— his party affiliation or a statement he is nonpartisan or is not affiliated with any party-both categories are permissible in Alaska-a statement that he is not registered elsewhere, or if he is, a request that he be stricken from the other State's voter rolls.

We will not invade the voter's privacy by requiring this information. This information is already public. Voter rolls are now available for public purchase in many States including Alaska. Nor do we seek to pry or invade the voter's right to privacy. This right will remain inviolate under both the Federal and State constitutions-Alaska recently amended its constitution to grant to each citizen the right to privacy. We seek only the minimum information to provide accurate registration and to prevent fraud.

I believe the Federal Government should provide a series of grants for States to maintain current lists of eligible voters. This is presently spelled out in section 406 of S. 472. It is not mentioned in such detail in S. 352. I believe the final legislation should provide explicit authorization for such programs.

I specifically recommend the following program:

The Federal Government should provide grants of a specified amount, say 10 cents, for each eligible voter for States with less than 80-percent registration. Above that level of performance, the Federal Government should provide 50-percent matching categorical grants. This would permit the States with a relatively small number of voters but with additional costs and high registration to continue to provide full coverage.

Moreover, in order to get any Federal funding, each State would have to provide universal registration.

The important fact is that such a program would provide for universal registration by the States. Furthermore, such a system of matching

grants would provide a means whereby all States would be able to provide the fullest registration.

Registration programs are costly. For example, in Alaska we will spend $797,000 for elections in 1973. This will be approximately $5.30 per registered voter. At least 50 percent of this will go for registration. We estimate off-year registration efforts will cost approximately $253,000. Moreover, as a result of the recent tragic mishap in which Congressmen Boggs and Begich lost their lives last November, a special statewide election must be held March 6 to fill Alaska's at-large congressional seat vacancy. A bill has recently been introduced in the State legislature to appropriate $150,000 for this purpose. The actual cost may exceed this.

I believe the legislation should also provide authorization and financial assistance for States to participate in voter education activities, such as presently provided by Oregon, Washington and California, among others. This would include the printing and distribution of voter assistance pamphlets and other material in order that the electorate might be completely informed of all candidates and issues. Federal assistance for this purpose is particularly necessary because of the high costs involved. Oregon Secretary of State Clay Myers recently described his program:

In the general election, each voter in a district receives the same pamphlet. These are mailed to each registered elector some two weeks before each state election, and include information on the candidates (they pay a small fee for their page), as well as explanatory information and arguments, pro and con, on ballot measures.

Such a program of voter identification is of great importance for an informed electorate.

These points I have mentioned are not the only important reforms possible under this legislation you are considering today. I would also urge the use of standardized voter registration forms nationwide. I am enclosing for the record at this point a copy of the Alaska State voter registration form. I believe it is short and provides all necessary information.

(Copy of Alaska State voter registration form follows:)

PESILENT

OF

STATE

SESIDENT OF

ELECTION
ENSTRICT

91-577 0-73

MALE

FEMALE

PLACE OF HIRTH

DATE OF BIRTH

NATURALIZATION

DATE

*IF A NATURALIZED CITIZEN, GIVE DATE ABOVE

ज्ञ

*ARE YOU WILLING TO SERVE ON AN ELECTION BOARD?

*POLITICAL AFFILIATION:

REPUBLICAN BENZOAT NICH PARTISAN 991

"I, THE UNDLESIGNED, DECLARE THAT THE FOREGOING, FACTS CONCEPERER, AN OATH QUALIFICATIONS AS A VOTER APE TRUE FURTHER DECLARE THAT I AM A CHIGU OF THE UNITED STATES AND WILL BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OF OLDER ON OR PERUGI THE DATE OF THE NEXT STATEWIDE ELECTION.

X...

WO WITNESSES OF QUALIFIED OFFICIAL

Lieutenant Governor BoUCHER. Other areas in which additional work is necessary include absentee voting; intrastate cooperation and coordination between local election boards; the simplification and shortening of ballots in many States; the standardization and consolidation of election dates to prevent unnecessary duplication of local elections; and additional training and pay for elections officials.

The public deserves the best system this country can provide. The election is one of the few times a citizen can directly participate in the decisionmaking process.

Clay Myers has said that:

Systems must be workable in each neighborhood and in every community in our state, as well as meet national objectives and standards designed to confirm that voting is an inalienable right-not a privilege or a license.

I agree. The right to vote is totally meaningless if the citizen cannot exercise it. This legislation will bring government to each individual citizen. It will permit citizens from every walk of life to insure their government is responsive and responsible. It provides them with a constructive method of voicing their opinion and will, if properly utilized by our citizens, have a direct and substantial effect on the course of this Nation's policies in the future.

It is about time for such legislation. There is no area where State and local governments need assistance more-primarily in the areas of financial assistance, establishing guidelines, and obtaining a source of expertise. There is no area where these are needed more than in the overall field of elections. The imagination that you and Senator Kennedy have displayed I think is great.

The CHAIRMAN. And Senator Stevens.

Lieutenant Governor BOUCHER. And Senator Stevens also. This legislation is a giant step forward is solving this problem, which