Two Courageous Women Stand Up in Congress for Voter's Rights

By Leanne Libert, Publications Coordinator

January 7, 2005

The cold morning air grayed the skies but did not dampen the spirits of hundreds of activists who gathered in front of the White House Jan. 6 to demand an accurate count of every vote cast Nov. 2, 2004.

People even traveled from Ohio to participate in the demonstration. Orange ribbons and bandanas were distributed for wear in honor of Ukrainians who rallied for days on end to ensure a fair democratic election.

NOW President Kim Gandy excited the crowd with news that Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., would join with Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, to object to the counting of Ohio's 20 electoral votes on the basis of voting irregularities and disenfranchisement - only the second such challenge since the current rules for counting electoral votes were established in 1877.

"We won't see a replay of the 2000 election when representative after representative pleaded for even one senator to stand up with them, but no senator answered their call," Gandy said. "This year Barbara Boxer will be that one senator."

Both houses of Congress met Thursday in a constitutionally-mandated joint session to count the electoral votes, presided over by Dick Cheney in his role as president of the Senate. The results from each state were read in alphabetical order. When Ohio was called, former judge and now Congresswoman from Ohio Stephanie Tubbs Jones stood up and objected to the Ohio vote and this year, unlike 2000, there was a Senator to support her challenge. Vice President Cheney then ordered lawmakers back to their respective chambers for two hours of debate on the merits of the challenge and an eventual vote.

The possibility the objection would overturn election results was nil, but Tubbs Jones and Boxer said they wanted to draw attention to the need for aggressive election reform in the wake of what they said were widespread voter problems. Their letter cited a new report by Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee that found "numerous, serious election irregularities," particularly in Ohio, that led to a "significant disenfranchisement of voters."

Republicans dismissed the effort as a stunt and said alleged voting problems in Ohio have been investigated and found untrue. Other critics of Boxer and Tubbs Jones said the pair needs to "move on and get over it."

"How can we possibly tell tens of millions of Americans who registered to vote, who came to the polls in record numbers, particularly our young people to simply get over it and move on?" Tubbs Jones told reporters at a press conference held Thursday before the electoral vote count.

After the debate, Congress voted against the objection, by 267-31 in the House and by 74-1 in the Senate, and certified the election with Bush winning 286 electoral votes.

While the outcome of the election was not changed, these women showed the world that we will not be silenced. Many changes must be made to the electoral system in order to ensure that every vote counts. If votes fail to be counted or cast, then democracy fails.

"While we have men and women dying to bring democracy abroad, we've got to make it the best it can be here at home," Boxer said.

Please write Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones to show your support and thank them for their courage to stand up, even if it means standing alone, to protect democracy.

Sen. Barbara Boxer
Fax: 415-956-6701
Address: 112 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: 202-224-3553
Send email via her web site

Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones
Fax: 202-225-1339
Address: 1009 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: 202-225-7032
Send email via her web site (this option for Ohio residents only)