53 online
 
Most Popular Choices
Share on Facebook 6 Printer Friendly Page More Sharing
OpEdNews Op Eds   

Back to the Future: Democracy that Works

By       (Page 8 of 12 pages) Become a premium member to see this article and all articles as one long page.   3 comments
Message Nancy T
Become a Fan
  (8 fans)

Today, more and more, we are beginning to understand that transforming our right to vote to the opportunity to verify voting machines profoundly subverts our democratic elections.

The Magical Brew of HAVA's Election Assistance Commission (EAC)

The HAVA-created EAC, a five-person commission appointed by and reporting to the White House, recently released their 2007 vision for America's elections: the "Voluntary Voting System Guidelines" (VVSG), "voluntary" because the US Constitution empowers the states, not the federal government, to administer elections. Theoretically the EAC can only " recommend" voting system standards to the states.

The VVSG defines technology-centric "verifiable voting," and through the VVSG the EAC keeps the nation's voting systems perpetually aligned to this paradigm.

The EAC recommends "software independent" voting systems (dual systems so the same software doesn't mark and count the ballot), and even goes so far as to suggest completely paperless verifiable systems, where one computer will check (verify) another. (24)

In the EAC paperless verifiable voting scheme, the voter is so incidental as to completely disappear.

The VVSG is the EAC's authorized blueprint-hardware and software design specifications-for our nation's election systems. The e-voting industry pays scrupulous attention to the VVSG, ultimately using this specifications document for developing their products.

In the 2007 VVSG, the EAC designs paper ballots. EAC Chair, Donetta Davidson, declared at a 2006 meeting: " We must address the problems associated with counting paper ballots. " Ms. Davidson apparently was not thinking about hand counting. In the topsy-turvy world of federal election reform, technology takes precedence over voters.

So the latest version of the VVSG includes design specifications for machine-readable paper ballots (25). The EAC ignores Florida 2000's lessons and the dangers wrought by paper ballots designed to machine, rather than voter, specifications.

The EAC's verifiable voting goal is to enable and promulgate technology-based voting systems.

Accordingly, the EAC's principal recommendation addressing voter needs is for large print signage reminding voters to verify their voting machine's vote.

The EAC and Congress

The Ear's power is further amplified in the uncomfortable confluence of the Commission and federal law (26).

A 2007 version of the controversial election reform proposal known as HR 811 (27) , aka the Holt Bill (and its companion bills in the Senate, sponsored by Senators Nelson and Feinstein) is a perfect example of this.

Hidden within 62 pages of convoluted language HR811 mandates new, complex and expensive technology for every polling jurisdiction in the nation (28). This odd provision did not come out of nowhere. It came straight out of the EAC's 2005 VVSG.

The "voluntary" nature of the EAC's guidelines is transformed into the law of the land whenever any particular congressional representative decides to toss an EAC ingredient into the election reform soup du jour.

Next Page  1  |  2  |  3  |  4  |  5  |  6  |  7  |  8  |  9  |  10  |  11  |  12

(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).

Rate It | View Ratings

Nancy T Social Media Pages: Facebook page url on login Profile not filled in       Twitter page url on login Profile not filled in       Linkedin page url on login Profile not filled in       Instagram page url on login Profile not filled in

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Go To Commenting
The views expressed herein are the sole responsibility of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of this website or its editors.
Writers Guidelines

 
Contact AuthorContact Author Contact EditorContact Editor Author PageView Authors' Articles
Support OpEdNews

OpEdNews depends upon can't survive without your help.

If you value this article and the work of OpEdNews, please either Donate or Purchase a premium membership.

STAY IN THE KNOW
If you've enjoyed this, sign up for our daily or weekly newsletter to get lots of great progressive content.
Daily Weekly     OpEd News Newsletter
Name
Email
   (Opens new browser window)
 

Most Popular Articles by this Author:     (View All Most Popular Articles by this Author)

NH recounts no check and balance for its privatized corporate-controlled elections

NH Secretary of State: "Citizen Election Observers Threaten Election Integrity"

Summary of the Stimulus bill - Don't look half bad to me

The Myth of Verified Voting: How GOP strategists & J. Abramoff transformed America's elections & the reform movement

Fitzwilliam, NH to Vote on Prohibiting Concealed Vote Counts

Secret vote counting and the lost art of democratic elections

To View Comments or Join the Conversation:

Tell A Friend