Sen. Nelson: Nation needs to change presidential elections

The Associated Press

March 26, 2008

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON AP Political Writer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.

Frustrated with Florida's troubled Democratic presidential primary, Sen. Bill Nelson is proposing a new nominating process and presidential elections based on the national popular vote rather than the Electoral College.

Nelson, who sued his own party in a failed effort to force the Democratic National Committee to recognize Florida's Jan. 29 primary, will tell state lawmakers Thursday he plans to file an election bill that attempts to fix the election process.

"If nothing else, this election has provided further evidence that our system is broken," Nelson will say according to an advance copy of the speech obtained by The Associated Press.

He also plans to propose six, rotating interregional primaries in a bill that would also require early voting in every state, a paper trail for every ballot and the availability of absentee ballots for all voters. It would also set up grants to develop mail-in and Internet voting.

The DNC stripped Florida of its delegates because it held a Jan. 29 primary, which violated party rules that only allow Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina to vote before Feb. 5. Michigan was also stripped of its delegates for holding an early election.

Nelson and other Florida Democrats want to resolve the dispute so the state can be represented at the nominating convention, but so far the state and national parties and Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama haven't been able to agree on a solution.

Nelson suggested a mail-in revote, but the idea wasn't embraced by state party leaders. He is now suggesting Florida's delegates be awarded based on the Jan. 29 election, which Clinton won, but only be given half a vote.

"My fight has been based on the principle that in America every citizen has an equal right to vote. It is based on a premise that Floridians are entitled to have their votes count as intended. And it is based on a belief that we all deserve a say in picking our presidential nominees," Nelson says in his remarks.

Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., who met with state lawmakers and Gov. Charlie Crist Wednesday, also said Congress should do something to fix the nominating process. He said he likes the idea of dividing the country into regions that cluster their primaries, and then rotating when the regions vote.

"The unruly situation that we had this year should not happen again and we ought to have a more organized process. I will be thinking about it and trying to come up with ideas," Martinez said.

March 26, 2008   05:29 PM EDT

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