If the people lose control over the election process, they lose the right to govern themselves.
The inalienable right of self-governance rests squarely on the integrity of our elections. We believe that only an observable transparent count of the votes can protect our elections and our sovereignty.
Our organization will volunteer to assist our county in finding as many volunteers as we need to help hand count the elections should the Court order same.
Susan Zimet writes in her amicus Declaration:
As a County Legislator, I will not allow my constituents to be disenfranchised on unreliable and theft enabling machines. I am prepared to take whatever legal action is necessary for the voters of Ulster County to know that their vote was counted accurately.
We have been looking for the most secure means to provide our constituents with … a transparent, accountable, fair and reliable electoral system. Hand counting of the Federal Elections is HAVA compliant.
I will personally assist in organizing citizens in my county to be trained and available to hand count elections in my county should the Court order same. I know of many Ulster County residents that would gladly make themselves available to assure that we could successfully accomplish this endeavor.
ARISE.org spokesperson Dennis Karius declares:
Where there’s a will there’s a way and the people are willing to help our officials effect our will through the most secure, reliable, transparent electoral system that exists: hand-counted elections.
ARISE is made up of thousands of active citizens thru congregations and community groups in the tri-county area of Albany, Rensselaer, and Schenectady in the CapitalDistrict. As part of this amici team, it stands for voters.
So did Abraham Lincoln:
Elections belong to the people. It is their decision.
Abe is quoted by Mary Ann Gould (Voice of the Voters Radio) in her Declaration.
Hand Count in 4 Hours
Everyone involved in this team of amici assures New York that if the Court rules for hand-counting the two federal elections in NY’s November 2008 election, they will bring enough people to get the job done in less than four hours. Dave Berman and I crunched the numbers that allowed us to conclude:
In most of the counties studied only one team of four will be needed per (Election District of 1,150 registered voters) to complete hand-counting in four hours or less.
