A Three Party Election Administration?

At the Election Law Blog, Rick Hasen relays word of Senate Bill 1648, sponsored by John McCain and Russ Feingold. The Federal Election Administration Act would "amend the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 to replace the Federal Election Commission with the Federal Election Administration." Whatever the bill's faults may be, among its key provisions Hasen notes that at least one member of the conceived three-person board "would have to be either registered as an independent or as a third party member for the five years before serving on the commission."

Via Thomas Page S9083:

SEC. 352. COMPOSITION OF THE FEDERAL ELECTION ADMINISTRATION.

``(a) In General.--The Administration shall be composed of 3 members, 1 of whom shall serve as the Chair of the Administration. No member of the Administration shall--

``(1) be affiliated with the same political party as any other member of the Administration while serving as a member of the Administration; or

``(2) have been affiliated with the same political party as any other member of the Administration at any time during the 5-year period ending on the date on which such individual is nominated to be a member of the Administration.