Governor concerned about integrity of upcoming election

In his weekly column issued today, Gov. Matt Blunt expressed concerns about possible voting fraud Nov. 4:

Voting is a fundamental right and gives each of us a voice in our government. Many men and women made the ultimate sacrifice to secure this right for us and many others today are fighting to protect our right to vote and the other freedoms we enjoy. Missouri voters will have the opportunity to make their voices heard on November 4, and I urge you to take advantage of that opportunity.

We must also keep in mind that our entire system of representative government is undermined by those who commit or attempt to commit voter fraud and voter registration fraud. A system the people do not trust is a system that undermines the people's faith in their elected government.

As governor and as a former secretary of state, I am very concerned about the integrity of the upcoming election. I became secretary of state following the voter fraud that occurred in 2000 and issued a comprehensive report entitled "Mandate for Reform: Election Turmoil in St. Louis November 7, 2000" which provided the framework for election reform in Missouri.
http://governor.mo.gov/lawsuit_reform/MandateReformIssued7-24-01.pdf

Contrary to assertions that voter fraud has not occurred in Missouri, my report found that well over 1,000 improper ballots were cast in St. Louis City and St. Louis County. Further my report found that there was in St. Louis an organized and successful effort to generate improper votes in large numbers.

In response, we examined Missouri's election laws and procedures and enacted significant reforms making it easier to vote and harder to cheat. Most importantly we restored Missourians' confidence in the integrity of their elections.

I am no longer secretary of state but as governor I am no less concerned that we have fair elections.

I am particularly concerned by groups like the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) which has submitted fraudulent voter registration forms in our state and across our country. Twelve ACORN workers in Missouri have already been convicted of voter fraud during the 2006 election and now the F.B.I. is investigating ACORN's voter registration activities in Kansas City in this election.

This is one reason I have offered my assistance to Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and called on all election authorities to be alert and vigilant, responding immediately to any and all allegations of voter fraud. It is the responsibility of all political parties to carefully watch over our election process while recognizing that under no circumstance should anyone ever intimidate voters.

On November 4 polls all across Missouri and the United States will allow voters to make their voices heard on a variety of issues. I urge all registered voters in Missouri to participate in this important part of our democratic government and exercise your right to vote while also being vigilant as you vote.

It is vital to our democracy that our elections are fair and conducted free of voter fraud so we can have results that we all can trust.