http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/75061/1.ashx
http://www.kansas.com/mld/kansas/news/local/9140951.htm
| Posted on Tue, Jul. 13, 2004 | ||||
Talk of election delay dies downBY RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR Los Angeles Times WASHINGTON - Even if terrorists were to attack on Election Day, it is highly unlikely that voting could or would be halted across the United States, lawmakers and scholars said Monday. Congress could postpone a federal election, but only by passing a law to do so, while the Bush administration has no legal authority to act on its own. The question arose after Newsweek reported Sunday that counterterrorism officials were reviewing a proposal that could allow for postponing the election. But the Department of Homeland Security said Monday that it has no plans to seek such a delay in the face of heightened fears that al-Qaida is planning a large-scale attack to try to influence the election. "I am unaware of any such efforts," said Brian Roehrkasse, a department spokesman. "DHS is not looking into a contingency plan." The Homeland Security Department has been researching laws and precedents in an effort to gather information, but is not drafting a plan. An official said the research was prompted by inquiries from the Election Assistance Commission, a little-known federal advisory body whose chairman, DeForest Soaries, pointed out in a letter to the department that no federal agency has the authority to postpone an election. The United States has held elections in the throes of civil and world wars, and several lawmakers forcefully rejected the suggestion that this fall's elections might be postponed. "Were we to postpone the elections, it would represent a victory for the terrorists," said Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Calif., chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. "The election is going to go forward." Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Hays, said he was worried about the symbolism of a terrorist attack changing how Americans select a president. "Our elections are part of the makeup of the country," Moran said. Postponing them "is one of the last things we'd want to do in the war on terror." Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, said it was difficult for him to imagine a terrorist attack so large that it would present a nationwide threat to voters. "When you think of how every township has a polling place, I don't expect such a situation to ever happen," he said. "It's not like we have one central voting place in St. Louis." Experts said a mechanism for postponing elections should be debated, even if there is little chance it would be needed. | ||||
