Reid welcomes discussion of election

Benjamin Grove

Friday, Jan. 7, 2005 | 9:14 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Thursday offered moral support to Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who made a historic objection to President Bush's election victory.

But Senate Democratic Leader Reid and other Democrats did not go so far as to vote in support of Boxer. The Senate voted 74-1 to overrule Boxer's objection, with Boxer dissenting, effectively confirming Bush's win.

A joint session of Congress traditionally meets to certify election results. But on Thursday Boxer and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, D-Ohio, formally objected to the count, prompting two hours of debate in the House and Senate chambers. It was only the second time since 1877 such an action was taken.

Some Democrats were leery of supporting the two lawmakers, fearing they would look like sore losers. But others spoke in support, stressing that they were merely trying to draw attention to voting fairness issues -- not challenging Bush's win.

When asked if Reid approved of Boxer's move, Reid spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said, "Sen. Reid didn't talk her out of it. It was a matter of principle for her.

"He also believed that there was no harm in spending a couple of hours discussing such an important issue."

During debate Reid noted that U.S. military forces were working this month to prepare for fair elections in Iraq.

"The sacrifice of our military demands that we work to ensure our own elections are fair," Reid said. "That is why today's debate is here, and I applaud my friend from California for allowing us to talk a little bit about elections generally."

Reid noted that in Nevada an investigation was conducted into whether Democratic voter registration forms were destroyed.

Reid said he and Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., plan to re-introduce legislation they co-sponsored last May aimed at requiring electronic voting machines that also produce a paper result, which could be checked in a recount. The machines were used in most of Nevada in the 2004 election, but are not widely used nationwide.

"It is my hope the debate today will once again lead to action to cure some of the more glaring defects of the 2004 election," Reid said.

In the House, lawmakers voted 267-31 to overrule it. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., was in Nevada and did not vote. Reps. Jon Porter, R-Nev., and Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., voted to overrule the objection and certify Bush's victory.

Ensign was in Nevada and did not vote on the Boxer-Jones objection.