January 15, 2007 at 19:52:42

Join Us in Demanding Legislation Requiring Paper Ballots

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3) Accurate results. It is impossible to ensure that the reported results
are accurate. In fact, a voter-verifiable paper audit trail cannot be
depended on to provide the certainty lacking in electronic tallies. Clear
evidence from several recent elections reveals instances in which:

The electronic screen record did not reflect the voter's intent.
The electronic count did not match the paper trail produced by the
e-voting machine.
The summary review screen did not match the paper trail produced by the
e-voting machine.
Voters did not know to verify the paper trail or were prevented from
doing so by improper design, incorrect setup, or malfunction of the
printer.
Computer systems introduced unnecessary complexity into the entire
election process and therefore increased the likelihood of errors by
voters, poll workers, and election officials.
Computerized voting relinquished control of the final outcome to the
technical skills of those who programmed the software.

While it is not easy to reconcile the money already spent on new DRE
systems, it would be worse to continue using election equipment that is
not accomplishing its critical task. If this were a public safety matter,
no one would question the ban on the continued use of a dangerous product,
even if it had been funded by billions of public dollars. Why should we
act any differently when it comes to the integrity of our electoral
process?

Ultimately, the true price of free, fair, reliable, accurate, and
transparent elections in America cannot be judged by dollars alone.

We therefore urge you to immediately enact legislation which requires a
paper ballot for every vote cast. Now is the moment for action, in time to
take effect for the 2008 primaries and general election.

Respectfully yours,

The Undersigned

VoterAction.org
VotersUnite.org
VelvetRevolution.us
National Voting Rights Institute
Demos

Audit AZ
Broward Election Reform Coalition
California Election Protection Network
CASE America
CASE Ohio
Citizens Alliance for Secure Elections
Citizens for Accurate Mall Ballot Elec Results
Citizens for Election Integrity Minnesota
Coalition for Voting Integrity - Pennsylvania
Coloradoans For Voting Integrity
Colorado Voter
Commonweal Institute
Defenders of Democracy
Democracy Cell Project
Election Reform Network
Election Defense Alliance
Florida Fair Elections Coalition
Friends of the Earth
Gathering To Save Our Democracy - Tennessee
Georgians for Verified Voting
Hip Hop Caucus
Iowans for Voting Integrity
Mainstreet Moms (theMMOB.org)
Missourians for Honest Elections
N.C. Coalition for Verified Voting
Network of Citizens
New Yorkers for Verified Voting
Oregon Voter Rights Coalition
ProgressiveActionAlliance.org
Palm Beach Coalition for Election Reform
Sarasota Alliance for Fair Elections - Florida
SAVEOurVotes.org - Maryland
Texas Safe Voting
TrueVoteMD
Verifiable Voting Coalition of Virginia
Verify The Vote Indiana
Virginia Verified Voting
VoteAllegheny
VotePA
VoteRescue of Texas
Voting Integrity Alliance of Tampa Bay
The American Voter

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Send the letter above to your Congress Members via:

http://www.VelvetRevolution.us/Campaigns/PaperBallots

And please spread the word. It's your democracy. Use it or lose it!

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VelvetRevolution.us ("VR") is a network of more than 120 progressive organizations reaching millions of people demanding progressive change through our VR Media, Electoral Reform, Conflict Resolution and Youth Revolution Campaigns. Indeed, Americans (more...)

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