States must act to take full advantage of recently passed election reform legislation

States must act to take full advantage of recently passed election reform legislation
EDITOR:
When the 2000 election exposed the many problems facing the election system, the League of Women Voters leaped into action. After two years of hard work, Congress passed the "Help America Vote Act" (HAVA). Throughout this period, the League worked to ensure that key reforms -- improved machines and balloting, better registration systems, poll worker training, and voter education -- were part of the congressional debate. In the end, HAVA authorized funds for states to improve elections and set basic federal standards to ensure that every citizen has an opportunity to vote, and to have that vote counted. If properly enacted at the state level, HAVA will correct many of the most critical pitfalls in our democracy's election process.
The League of Women Voters is actively working with state and local election officials nationwide to explain HAVA and best apply this new legislation. Currently, there are more than 30 leagues that are members of their state planning committees and many more are working to influence key decisions in their communities.
The League of Women Voters of Greater Youngstown supports an informed citizenry through the publication of our Voter's Guide and participation in election monitoring. Our members work with the Mahoning County Board of Elections in the training of poll workers and the use of the new electronic voting machines. We support HAVA and urge its implementation in Mahoning County.
The Help America Vote Act must be properly implemented here in Ohio and around the country. Our state legislators and policymakers have a responsibility to make that happen. Each citizen, in turn, has a responsibility to demand that election reform is fairly and fully implemented. Once that occurs, our paramount responsibility -- voting -- should be easier and more accessible to all Americans.
DR. ANNE YORK, President
League of Women Voters of Greater Youngstown
Unfair divorce laws give men no incentive to marry
EDITOR:
In regard to an article in Saturday's Vindicator, Washington program adds new push for marriage:
If our government really wants to promote marriage and family, they first need to look at the laws governing divorce. Lets take Ohio for instance, a no-fault divorce state. A man marries a woman, tries to follow the rules of the Bible -- "be fruitful and multiply, love and cherish your wife, be true to her." Now, after 10 or so years into the marriage, the wife decides to have an affair. The husband can't accept this, divorces her, and guess what? The true blue husband gets raped financially.
He is forced to bear 80 percent of the financial responsibility for the children, while the ex-wife and her wealthy boyfriend live a lavish lifestyle. And the true-blue ex-husband also has to give the cheating ex-wife half his pension for each year of marriage.
And our government wonders why men don't want to get married anymore and why more and more men and women (mostly men) choose not to have children.
I do agree, when a man is at fault, let's say caught cheating by the wife, he deserves to be raked over the coals, but not when he's totally innocent.
How could any man who's been through it, or knows people who have, tell his male children it is good to get married and start a family?
Until these divorce laws are changed, one could only tell his teenage male children to never get married. Live with her if you want, and get a vasectomy as soon as you're old enough, or you will surely end up in financial ruin.
BUTCH BAKER
Struthers