MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG
Mo. Digital News
Missouri Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Mo. Digital News
MDN.ORG:
Missouri Digital News
JEFFERSON CITY - Secretary of State Rebecca Cook has called on state legislators to pass a bill that would give her office the authority to investigate election fraud.
At a news conference Monday, Cook said that under Missouri law, she is powerless to investigate alleged violations of election laws.
Currently, the Office of the Secretary of State is not event allowed to enter polling places around the state.
"At this stage of my tenure, we have a stack quite high of requests asking for assistance in situations where the public has questions, where election authorities themselves have questions they cannot resolve, and even where prosecutors have questions," Cook said. "They will come to us and ask that we become involved and we are simply unable to respond."
With approval of the bill, Cook said her office could help with allegations of vote buying, absentee fraud and irregularities with voter registration. Yet, the power over running local elections would remain at the local level with election boards and county clerks.
"Even though I do value local decision making and we should keep our elections locally controlled, I have come to believe that it is important for the confidence of the public that we have an independent authority who does have the power to check out a situation that is raised to us."
At Cook's request, the bill was sponsored in the House by Rep. Steve McLuckie, D-Kansas City, and Harry Kennedy, D-St. Louis.
"I was surprised that her office did not already have this authority," McLuckie said. "I think that when you talk to the average citizen they would assume the same thing. I think (this bill) is extremely overdue."
The measure is currently pending before the House Elections Committee. Committee Chairman Rita Days, D-St. Louis, said the bill could be heard as early as next week and has a chance of passing.
"I thought it was a good idea," she said. "There have been a lot of election problems and such. I think the Secretary of State is the proper authority for looking into these matters."
Both McLuckie and Kennedy said they plan talk to House Speaker Steve Gaw to get the bill moved up on the calendar and propped for action on the House floor.