The 2012 presidential election taught us that while Virginia has yet to face pervasive "Florida-like" havoc, its elections could use a makeover. Here are five changes the General Assembly could have embraced to ensure open, fair and more efficient elections in 2013.

In less than an hour, Florida Governor Rick Scott denied the right to vote to hundreds of thousands, maybe as many as a million, Florida citizens.

Terry Branstad has revoked a policy signed in 2005 by former Gov. Vilsack that automatically restored voting rights to individuals with criminal convictions once they had completed their sentences.

By not voting, the critics say, blacks betray the struggle and sacrifice of those who fought and in some cases died for their rights to vote. This guilt laden reprimand is much too simplistic.