The University's Miller Center of Public Affairs and The Century Foundation, a public policy think tank, announced Tuesday the organization of the National Commission on Federal Election Reform.
Former Presidents Carter and Ford will be honorary co-chairs of the bipartisan commission.
The commission "will look at changes that could be made at the federal level to improve the voting process," said Margaret Edwards, director of external relations for the Miller Center.
The group will focus on improving and standardizing the process currently being used to cast and count ballots for elected officials "specifically at the federal level," Edwards said.
Hoping to unite groups from across the political spectrum, the commission primarily is concerned with the election procedures for the president, vice president and members of Congress.
"It is very difficult to say for sure what will be accomplished," said Lisa-Joy Zgorski, Century Foundation communications manager.
What is certain, however, is that the commission does not intend to rewrite the Constitution, nor does it plan to "re-fight the contest in Florida," Zgorski said.
"In theory, [the commission] could look at Electoral College reform, but that isn't likely," Edwards said.
The commission plans to release its report within the year, in time to advise the legislative efforts currently underway in the 107th Congress.
The goal is to provide "useful, pragmatic solutions for officials engaged in this issue," Zgorski said.
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Although the commission will not receive public funding, it will work with monetary support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
Richard C. Leone, Century Foundation president, will work in cooperation with the commission's executive director and Miller Center director Philip Zelikow in directing and supporting the bipartisan Commission.
Other members of the commission will be selected within the next couple of weeks, Edwards said.
The commission also will create task force groups to support its work.
One group, led by Harvard University prof. David King, already has begun studying the practices being developed by state and local election officials.
An interactive Web site will keep the public informed about the commission's work and allow concerned citizens to offer suggestions regarding election reform.
Howard Baker, former U.S. Senate majority leader and chief of staff to former President Reagan, will co-chair the commission along with Washington attorney Lloyd Cutler, who served as White House counsel to Presidents Carter and Clinton.
"The commission will look fundamentally at reforming how we vote," Edwards said.
The National Commission on Federal Election Reform will be the ninth in a series of commissions organized by the Miller Center to study issues confronting the presidency.
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