Former Sen. John Danforth left the electoral arena in 1994. But the Missouri Republican remains a go-to guy for office seekers needing a task handled.

On Monday, Mr. Danforth joined the 2008 presidential campaign as a spokesman for John McCain’s Honest and Open Election Committee.

The three-term senator said the group aims to help all entitled people to vote while rooting out any elements of election fraud and intimidation. The committee also wants to set in advance rules for eventual appeals and standards for absentee ballot issues and extending poll hours.

Work of the committee would benefit the nation, Mr. Danforth said in a conference call.

“The point of elections is that eventually matters get decided, hopefully, and the country goes off in reasonable unity in one course or another,” the former senator said. “But if one side believes it has been cheated, that is not going to happen.”

Along with former Sen. Warren Rudman, a New Hampshire Republican, Mr. Danforth recited a number of voting-related concerns, some from the past and some from this election cycle. He referenced a case involving four Ohio counties in which voter registration exceeded the number of voting-age residents and the discovery in Nevada that nearly 1,000 felons were registered for the voting in 2000.

More specifically, the Missourian cited the work of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known as ACORN. He noted Democratic nominee Barack Obama’s past ties to the organization and said election officials in multiple states have suspicions about registration applications being submitted through the group.

Two weeks ago, ACORN president Maude Hurd said the national organization, which has offices in St. Louis and Kansas City, has added 1.1 million “minority and low-income Americans” to the voting rolls this election cycle.

Insisting ACORN had never violated election laws, she pointed to a Department of Justice study indicating the number of Americans guilty of voter fraud between 2002 and 2005 numbered 24, or eight a year.

The McCain committee has called on the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee to join the effort.

“Our job is, first and foremost, to make sure the election is not gamed by either side,” Mr. Danforth said.

Fire council

backs Graves

The Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters had a gathering in Kearney, Mo., on Monday to endorse Congressman Sam Graves’ bid for re-election.

The group, which represents more than 6,000 emergency workers, dispatchers and assistant prosecutors, cited the Republican lawmaker’s advocacy for first responders during his fourth terms in the U.S. House.

“He has consistently supported increased funding for staffing, equipment and training in our fire departments,” said Tim Dupin, a council spokesman.

Mr. Graves has backed the SAFER program and the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program, which provide funding for firefighter salaries and equipment. He has also supported money for the U.S. Fire Administration and the National Fire Academy.

Barnes speaks

to AFL-CIO

Kay Barnes, the Democrat looking to unseat Mr. Graves, spoke Tuesday to a statewide gathering of the AFL-CIO.

The Missouri labor organization has endorsed the former Kansas City mayor in the 6th District congressional race.

Her speech at a Platte County hotel focused on the nation’s economy. “I wish I could come to you upbeat about the direction our country is headed in,” she told the group. “But unfortunately, the failed policies of the last eight years have caught up with us.”

Ms. Barnes called the economic news during the last week “a disaster” and said the proposed bailout of major corporations added to an already overwhelming nation debt presided over by the Bush administration.

“Practically overnight,” she said, “we have added another $1 trillion burden to hardworking taxpayers.”

In addition to Ms. Barnes and Mr. Graves, the 6th District race includes Libertarian Dave Browning.

Ken Newton can be reached at kenn@npgco.com.