My stepfather was recently given a terminal diagnosis, which prompted the family to hold Christmas on the 17th. We all flew or drove into Cleveland for the event. Only immediate family was allowed, and all the immediate family was present.
My presence was required, even tho RJ hasn't been married to my mother in over 30 years. Tribal bonds are so much deeper than blood, it seems. This man raised me from age 12 on, and never laid an angry hand on me. I love him deeply.
The family is hurt I haven't spent enough time visiting them. I needed to explain my activism in values they understand, given that RJ is now dying.
"You're fighting City Hall again. What are you doing exactly?" he asked me.
"We're auditing election records."
Referring to the Democratic Sweep in the Midterm Elections, he asked, "So, you're happy with the election, right?"
"No." I shook my head.
He erupted, "What WILL make you happy?" Then everyone started talking at once. Finally, they let me get a word in.
"In Franklin County, the machines are registering more votes than voters!" I exclaimed. "In Cuyahoga, there are more voters than votes."
Bobby, the heir apparent, challenged me. "What's your solution?"
"Hand counted paper ballots."
"Oh, my god," he threw his hands up in the air and turned his back. What an absurd proposition, said his body language.
I raised my voice. "Canada hand counts nine million ballots in four hours." He shifted his body to listen – which was the cue for everyone else in the tribe to listen. Privately, I thanked him. The talking points I had studied, drafted, simplified, and repeated poured out of my mouth.
I looked at everyone, "Ninety-five percent of all democracies in the world hand count paper ballots. We're nuts to vote on computers." They became quiet; it was something they already suspected.
"Nine neighbors count the ballots for your neighborhood," I explained.
In 2004, Rady Ananda began contributing to the Web, as part of the growing community of citizen journalists. Focusing mainly on elections, her blogs also address religious, gender, sexual and racial equality, as well as environmental issues; and are sprinkled with book and film reviews on various topics. She currently serves as a senior editor at OpEdNews.
All material offered here is the property of Rady Ananda, copyright 2006, 2007, 2008. Permission is granted to repost, with proper attribution including the original link.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. Tell the truth anyway. Sign this petition: http://www.electiondefensealliance.org/ny_levers_petition
thank you, rady. both for your personal story and for what it can teach us about the universality of this issue: EVERYONE wants their votes to count and wants to be able to count on their votes being tallied accurately and securely. Anyone opposed to such an ideal would have a heck of a time trying to justify it.
Joan B
by
Joan Brunwasser (132 articles, 3335 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 588 comments)
on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 3:49:39 PM
Rady, I sent this email text to an activist friend, today.
This is an interesting personal story. She shares my deep conviction that getting our elections straightened out is of the highest priority. Whether you agree or not, please take time to read.
BTW, The picture is changing very fast.
Only 10 days ago, Rush Holt switched from paper trails/receipts to requiring actual paper BALLOTS.
Today, hand counting & optical scanning are the only means of counting them.
I have favored letting each state chose its method. while knowing optical scanners are NOT infallible, either - just MUCH better than any kind of DRE/touch-screen.
"Sufficient hearings and floor debate are imperative," I told Peter DeFazio. (In particular, hand counting versus optical scanning needs to be addressed.)
Any compromise? Yes, the bill could require paper ballots by 2008, not specifying counting method.
If optical scanners then prove unreliable or dubious, ALL states could be required to to do hand counting by 2010.
I'm uneasy with having yet another presidential election possibly swung by unreliable machines.
BTW, Oregon no longer requires audit of OSs, for the audits always jibed with the random hand counts.
Are there certain companies or models that are superior? Even so, I doubt they're infalable.
Watch this closely, Lois. It's all going to be an explosive issue in the 110th Congress, only exceeded by Iraq.
You may wish to forward this to your mailing list(s).
Barbara
by
Barbara Adams (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments)
on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 4:08:04 PM
Thank you for all that you are doing, and for sharing this poignant story with us.
Of course you are working to save the environment along with democracy, even if you didn't get a chance to explain it to your family. If we'd had honest elections, Bush wouldn't have been able to appoint anti-environmentalists to head all the federal environmental agencies.
As you pointed out, without honest elections, nothing else is possible.
--Mark
by
Mark E. Smith (21 articles, 29 quicklinks, 73 diaries, 950 comments)
on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 4:11:34 PM
This comment has been flagged and is awaiting review by the editors -
Reason: Other
Text I emailed to Rady this pm, checking box to post in comments. Why didn't it appear.
Note:I'm Oregon (see profile) & a copy of Cheated is in the mail.
This is an interesting personal story. She shares my deep conviction that getting our elections straightened out is of the highest priority. Whether you agree or not, please take time to read.
BTW, The picture is changing very fast.
Only 10 days ago, Rush Holt switched from paper trails/receipts to requiring actual paper BALLOTS.
Today, hand counting & optical scanning are the only means of counting them.
I have favored letting each state chose its method. while knowing optical scanners are NOT infallible, either - just MUCH better than any kind of DRE/touch-screen.
"Sufficient hearings and floor debate are imperative," I told Peter DeFazio. (In particular, hand counting versus optical scanning needs to be addressed.)
Any compromise? Yes, the bill might require paper ballots by 2008, not specifying counting method.
If optical scanners then prove unreliable or dubious, ALL states could be required to to do hand counting by 2010.
I'm uneasy with having yet another presidential election possibly swung by unreliable machines.
BTW, Oregon no longer requires audit of OSs, for the audits always jibed with the random hand counts.
Are there certain companies or models that are superior? Even so, I doubt they're infalable.
Watch this closely, Lois. It's all going to be an explosive issue in the 110th Congress, only exceeded by Iraq.
You may wish to forward this to your mailing list(s).
Barbara
by
Barbara Adams (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 4 comments)
on Wednesday, December 20, 2006 at 7:06:17 PM
