"I am concerned about the state of our electoral system and believe we need to improve it," said Carter, a Democrat whose Carter Center in Atlanta has monitored dozens of elections around the world. "There is much we could learn from other democracies and from our own citizens."

"America's democracy is the backbone of our society, and only through fair elections can we guarantee that our system remains healthy," said Baker, a Republican who was the top U.S. diplomat under President George H.W. Bush.

Other members of the privately funded panel include former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., who lost his seat in last year's election, and former Reps. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., and Susan Molinari, R-N.Y., along with Robert Mosbacher, the first President Bush's secretary of commerce.

© 2005 The Associated Press

Editor's note: