I started out as a 16 year old registering people to vote.

Voting is the foundational act that breathes life into the principle of the consent of the governed.

I found that there is very little interest in Washington for true election reform. That neither the White House nor either house of the Congress seems to be as committed to guaranteeing democratic participation in this country as we seem to be in other countries.

When public access to voting is impaired or when public confidence in voting is diluted, democracy suffers and our freedom is less secure.

I was the Secretary of State of New Jersey in November 2000. I paid careful attention to the challenges that stemmed from inadequate voting systems in various places.

My father started me singing in church.