A top veterans advocate in Iowa agrees with the recommendations of a commission chaired by former Presidents Carter and Ford that Election Day be turned into a national holiday. John Schneider, executive director of the Iowa Commission on Veterans Affairs, says he would -not- support the suggestion of moving Election Day to coincide with Veterans Day.Schneider says voting is one of the ultimate freedoms for which Americans in uniform have fought, but he says the act of voting on Veterans Day may not work out the best. He says Election Day should be a national holiday, but would like to see that day remain the second Tuesday of November.The panel is releasing a list of policy recommendations today. It says voters challenged at polls should be allowed to cast provisional ballots until eligibility is determined. There is also concern about punchcard ballots like those used in Florida last year. The 19-member commission also wants Uncle Sam to offer states up to two billion dollars in matching grants to upgrade voting systems.
