With the midterm elections over, exit polling and voter reactions indicate Americans want reform on issues close to home, and not the partisanship and corruption of Congress’s past. In a post-election letter from Executive Director Gary Bass, OMB Watch solicited responses from its email subscribers and appreciates the thoughtful and insightful comments. The responses received make one thing clear: Americans want our nation led down a new path - one with honest campaigns, an inclusive economy, and a clean environment.

A series of last-minute court cases and pre-election maneuvers will likely leave many voters confused about their rights as they go to the polls today. Widespread concern surrounds electronic voting and a host of voter identification requirements that could create inequities at polling centers across the country. Legal challenges to voter requirements will not be resolved until after this election cycle, so concerned groups have launched new efforts to document voter fraud and disenfranchisement of minorities, and elderly and disabled persons.

Voter registration drives sponsored by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) are being investigated by federal authorities and the Senate Finance Committee after allegations that fraudulent voter registration cards were submitted in four of its 17 state efforts. The group is cooperating with authorities and says misconduct by temporary workers appears to be at the root of the problem.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has once again proposed a revision to its rules on information that should be withheld from the public under a category called Safeguards Information (SGI). The rule was originally proposed in February 2005. Now based on public comments and changes to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the NRC has proposed additional changes. While apparently narrowing the scope of some provisions, making it harder to withhold information, the amended rule would significantly expand SGI's definition, inserting language and add a new category of covered information -- Safeguards Information-Modified Handling (SGI-M).