Jim Moran Proposes Changes To U.S. Voting System

Most northern Virginia voters were prepared for long lines on Election Day, but many report being shocked after they had to wait more than three hours to cast a ballot, keeping some polling places open until 10:30 p.m., when they were supposed to close at 7.

Virginia Democrat Jim Moran is aiming to address that issue through a new proposal that would modernize U.S. elections. He wants to curtail those lines by keeping the polls open for a week. He says the state has a lot of new voters who struggle voting on election Tuesday.

"This idea of new immigrant Americans, lots of minorities, lots of young people, even women, participating in the electoral process, this is new to Virginia," he says.

Moran's legislation would also allow people to register to vote online and would also increase the number of poll workers and machines at polling stations. He says he realizes his bill has little chance of passing in the near future, but he says that's not the point.

"In the long run we need to start the debate, we need to push for it, we've got to mobilize people around the country who had to wait for long lines to realize they've got a stake in this legislation going through.