Heller concerned about cuts to election budget

by Geoff Dornan for Nevada Appeal

Secretary of State Dean Heller says he's concerned about deep cuts to the federal election-reform budget proposed by President Bush.

The president's budget plan would chop the funding for 2005 from $500 million to $40 million.

That would reduce funding for Nevada from an estimated $3.3 million to about $300,000 less than 10 percent of the amount proposed for 2005 when the Help America Vote Act was passed.

"Obviously that would cause real difficulties in completing all the requirements of the act," said Heller.

He said he plans to raise his concerns with Nevada's congressional delegation. He doubts he'll be alone since every other secretary of state in the nation will have to raise the issue as well, he said.

He pointed out that Congress did increase the amount the president recommended for the act last year and said he expects the same this year as the budget process begins.

"We just have to wait and see what the pass," he said.

Heller said Nevada should still get the $5.7 million it was supposed to get this year. That and other money the state has gotten are needed to pay for electronic voting machines and the statewide voter registration system the state needs to meet nationwide election reform requirements.

He said the state needs every federal dollar promised to implement the new requirements. He pointed out that voting machines from Diebold Inc. will cost the state an estimated $9.3 million and the statewide voter registration system another $3 to $5 million.