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Headlined to H2 11/13/12

Your Vote Got Counted. Here's Why

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Yes, my side won. So, the argument could be made that I was wrong when it comes to election fraud. The real story is more complicated. I believe that my side -- your side, the women's side -- won in part because voting rights activists were vigilant. They kept Americans watching, to make sure to document irregularities at the polls.

As the result of a fair election, women now have a far better opportunity to lead and influence. More glass ceilings were shattered, although we still await total demolition. We also won due to a heavy turnout from diligent voters. At one polling place in Boston, many were still standing in line to vote at 9:30 PM. Women voted in large numbers, as did African Americans, Latinas, LGBTQs and youth. They voted for our side -- for their side -- and thanks to voting rights activists their votes were counted. 
Suffrage parade, NYC, Oct. 23, 1915. Photo: Library of Congress.
Here are some ways in which activism worked: 

  • * Early in the day, a Pennsylvania voter caught an irregularity on his android (and it went viral) as he tried to vote for Obama and the machine kept highlighting Romney. A poll worker told him not to worry. But voting rights activists everywhere repeatedly told people to take pictures of all unusual events. It worked. At the time of this writing, there are over 9 million views on that Pennsylvania voter's YouTube post.
  • At a press conference at the Washington Press Club on November 5, the day before the election, Harvey Wasserman announced: "We are in the process as we speak of filing a federal lawsuit in Columbus, Ohio, asking for the removal of some software that has been installed into the computer system..."
  • Also, bold and righteous acts in Ohio had all eyes on the state. These acts included research conducted by Gerry Bello, Bob Fitrakis and Wasserman of the Free Press and a lawsuit filed by Cliff Arnebeck, including an affidavit by Michael Duniho. The lawsuit charged that Ohio Secretary of State John Husted "has installed "experimental' uncertified and untested software [experimental software patches on the ES&S machines] to count a large portion of the Ohio vote. It was also filed against ES&S. The judge "declined to interfere in an on-going election, but indicated that he would consider taking action as the case continues after the election if it was needed."
  • In Boston, one of the lawyers I had approached as part of my own efforts to combat election fraud is Mimi Turchinetz. She initially said she was skeptical that the machines could be hacked and requested more evidence. I provided this evidence and ultimately we joined forces to enlist an election attorney to file an injunction in case the Massachusetts Senate race was very close due to possible irregularities caused by the machines -- machines that would be used by 69 percent of voters. We wrote and circulated a paper about the dangers of these machines and also distributed a book I wrote about election fraud. Although our time was short, we had email, telephone or face-to-face conversations with lawyers in different specialties in Massachusetts and other states. Included among them were election specialists, radicals, non-profit attorneys, attorneys for the Democratic Party, Harvard law school faculty, a judge and attorneys for Albert Gore. Some disagreed with our position. Others said they believed us but were preoccupied with "Get Out the Vote," (GOTV).   We will continue this work. 
  • Earlier Turchinetz told me in great detail what GOTV accomplished in Massachusetts this year. Volunteers knocked on doors, distributed literature and returned and/or repeatedly called those who were not at home. They went to those who voted regularly and those who voted infrequently.
On Election Night, as Obama was named the winner -- even by Fox News -- Karl Rove said those words everyone has heard by now: "I'd be very cautious about intruding in this process." I heard that and stopped exhaling. I thought, oh my Goddess, they are going to rig it again. Rove mentioned Republican suburbs in Hamilton County, Ohio, where they use Hart InterCivic voting machines. The Romney family's financial connection to Hart InterCivic has been widely discussed in the media (here, for one, is a Forbes report on this connection). Snopes says it isn't true; but Forbes says it is. Who would you believe? Also, a dazzling roadmap details "Karl Rove's Empire of Election Fraud." It is by Jill Simpson, an attorney and former Republican and Jim March, a Black Box Voting Board member and a Libertarian. 

Honest elections depend on a three-legged stool: stopping suppression  of the vote; overturning Citizens United; and getting rid of all electronic voting machines. The work by activists on stopping the suppression has been constant and brilliant and taken up by the mainstream media. The outcry against Citizens United has been ongoing and continues to be widespread and fierce. And we, as activists, will continue to ensure that Karl Rove and the Koch Brothers know forever, as they did this time, that they cannot rig our elections via the electronic voting machines. We will be everywhere, taking many actions.

Just imagine what you would be thinking and feeling now had the election not gone the way it has. As I write this, the GOP in Ohio has started to get the "Heartbeat Bill," HB 125, on the table again. It would be the most prohibitive anti-abortion bill in the country, with no exceptions for rape. 

And just imagine what it means that in 2012, the Voting Rights Act is being challenged in the Supreme Court.

cross posted from One The Issues

 

http://www.handcountedpaperballots.org

Sheila Parks, Ed.D.,is the author of a new book, published September 6, 2012: "WHILE WE STILL HAVE TIME: The Perils of Electronic Voting Machines and Democracy's Solution: Publicly Observed, Secure Hand-Counted Paper Ballots (HCPB)Elections" and the (more...)
 
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Sorry to burst your bubble by Poor old Dirt farmer on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at 10:02:54 AM
Thank You by Don Caldarazzo on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at 2:57:45 PM
See above comment to dirt farmer, please, Don Caldarazzo by Sheila Parks on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at 3:42:40 PM
Check ur gender & race, if you are white, privilege at door by Sheila Parks on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at 3:39:42 PM
Uh huh by Don Caldarazzo on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at 4:24:50 PM
Obama Is not in Charge by Dante DeNavarre on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 11:07:12 PM
With all due respect to the author by Poor old Dirt farmer on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 8:54:24 AM
I hate how these comments end up being placed by Kim Cassidy on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 7:17:48 PM
good point. by Kim Cassidy on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 6:59:12 PM
Great article, Sheila! by Meryl Ann Butler on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at 6:39:37 PM
THANKS by Sheila Parks on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at 8:32:19 PM
hemp has always been superior by Kim Cassidy on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 7:25:42 PM
Yes, and it will be interesting to see if they grow hemp, by Meryl Ann Butler on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 9:43:52 PM
NO THANKS by Sheila Parks on Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 at 8:56:21 PM
What Is Wrong with Me? by Don Caldarazzo on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 4:08:22 AM
Brilliant and courageous. by Victoria Collier on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 2:45:12 PM
Maybe you are being sincere.... by Meryl Ann Butler on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 9:53:18 PM
As a matter of record by Poor old Dirt farmer on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 9:00:10 AM
The lives of women by Meryl Ann Butler on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 9:29:47 AM
All I ask is give us Facts by Poor old Dirt farmer on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 10:21:10 AM
I am not in any way responding to Obama policies by Meryl Ann Butler on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 11:40:24 AM
What exactly is your strategy? by Victoria Collier on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 2:47:46 PM
no offense, sweetie pie, by Kim Cassidy on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 11:46:40 PM
The Right to Vote is Basic by Nina Moliver on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 11:52:06 AM
I agree! by Meryl Ann Butler on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 12:12:51 PM
The Right to Vote is Basic by Nina Moliver on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 12:55:11 PM
Don, Dirt Farmer... by Sheila Samples on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 1:15:30 PM
Wow Sheila by Meryl Ann Butler on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 2:15:50 PM
Thanks, Meryl Ann... by Sheila Samples on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 2:53:38 PM
I get the same attacks that Sheila does by Victoria Collier on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 2:56:14 PM
And you are a Shero too by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 1:27:25 AM
thank you for reminding people to stay vigilant by Kim Cassidy on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 6:47:18 PM
DEEP THANKS TO ALMOST ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR TRUTH TELLING by Sheila Parks on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 7:43:02 PM
I love that her name is Esther by Meryl Ann Butler on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 9:34:26 PM
Esther by Sheila Parks on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 10:33:13 PM
Sheila you saved America by Dante DeNavarre on Thursday, Nov 15, 2012 at 11:56:10 PM
Thank you for your loving kindness words by Sheila Parks on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 12:02:18 AM
No FB by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 12:58:25 AM
and I'm buying your book! by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 1:01:01 AM
Wow Dante by Meryl Ann Butler on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 12:21:30 AM
you nailed it, by Kim Cassidy on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 12:23:59 AM
Yeah, they want it forgotten by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 1:18:37 AM
Your new theory by Sheila Parks on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 7:44:41 AM
By all means by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 9:03:28 AM
My Analysis by Poor old Dirt farmer on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 5:57:44 AM
What don't you understand about Election Theft? by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 9:45:21 AM
So you'll vote for a war mongering constitution shredding by Poor old Dirt farmer on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 11:38:12 AM
Not if my vote is Stolen by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 1:19:02 PM
Obama's not in charge by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 10:01:39 AM
Yea - You know more than Chris Hedges! by Poor old Dirt farmer on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 11:35:05 AM
A lot of folks do by Dante DeNavarre on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 12:51:09 PM
Its quite telling by Poor old Dirt farmer on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 11:28:53 AM
We Are Crashing Their Celebration by Don Caldarazzo on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 12:39:16 PM
Well, that sounds pretty condescending to women by Meryl Ann Butler on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 2:43:37 PM
I don't care about my "Rightness" by Don Caldarazzo on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 3:53:43 PM
lots of good people by Rob Kall on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 4:21:33 PM
Oh Rob by Don Caldarazzo on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 5:14:26 PM
Just for the record, Rob and Don ... by Meryl Ann Butler on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 5:59:57 PM
Uh by Don Caldarazzo on Saturday, Nov 17, 2012 at 7:22:50 AM
Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Sheila Parks on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 10:33:41 PM
Freire by Rob Kall on Saturday, Nov 17, 2012 at 8:29:09 AM
Thanks by Sheila Parks on Saturday, Nov 17, 2012 at 3:31:54 PM
So it's OK if low & middle income women in the USA die by Sheila Parks on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 4:32:14 PM
Mrs. Parks by Don Caldarazzo on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 5:20:56 PM
"An awesome fireball of righteous wrath" by Meryl Ann Butler on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 6:06:09 PM
Awesome fireball of righeous wrath by Sheila Parks on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 7:06:59 PM
Dear Poor: please read the comments & article carefully by Meryl Ann Butler on Friday, Nov 16, 2012 at 12:40:15 PM
Well I'll be... we matter! Thanks for showing us! by Tsara Shelton on Saturday, Nov 17, 2012 at 12:42:03 AM
WHAT A WONDERFUL EMAIL TO WAKE UP TO by Sheila Parks on Saturday, Nov 17, 2012 at 6:32:43 AM