Voting in the USA is an international joke. How can it be that countries are offering to send observers to ensure our elections are free and fair?

Personation is not a significant problem but it does need to be reported and the penalties need to be severe but this should not be the basis of our electoral policy. Driving people to vote in whatever way is safe and easy should be the framework that guides our elections programs.

The right to vote is as fundamental as the right to fresh air and clean water (also threatened for some of us). It is not a political football to be manipulated to partisan ends.

The goal of every politician should be to turn out as many voters as possible, for whichever side. When less than half the population vote any mandate is devalued. The more votes the more certain we can be that result is the will of the people.

We need a national body to certify standards for voting and the ability to enforce them on election day.

We need:

• Early in-person voting starting one week ahead of the election
• Polling places for every 1,000 electors
• Polling places need to be open from 09:00 to 21:00 on each day
• Anyone in line must be allowed to vote
• Same-day registration must be allowed
• Vote-by-mail for anyone who wants it