Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org
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There are many good provisions in the new election reform bill (HR 811 introduced by Congressman Rush Holt D-NJ), called the "Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007." For example, it would ban wireless communications to reduce the possibility of some types of hacking; it would prevent Diebold, Sequoia, and other voting machine companies from using secret software on the voting machines; and it would require partial hand counts to check the accuracy of the machines.
However, the primary problem with the bill is that it allows the continued use of Direct Record Electronic (DRE), or "touch screen" voting machines, as long as they print out a copy of the electronic record of your vote for you to approve (called a "voter-verified paper audit trail" or "VVPAT"). But this "band-aid" cannot solve the systemic problems inherent to DREs. Democracy demands that DREs be banned from all American elections.
It has been said of those calling for a "ban DREs" amendment to HR 811 that we intend to "kill" the bill. Nothing could be further from the truth. We do not seek to remove this bill from consideration; we seek to correct a fundamental omission, which we believe presents a grave danger to all future elections....
NAtional: Holt bill would demand paper record of votes
Once defeated, proposal getting a second look with new Democratic majority LINK
NAtional: Brad, Common Cause Debate Rush Holt Election Reform Bill on 'Peter B. Collins Show' LINK
CA: Riverside County - Elections chief wary of 'hack' test LINK
CO: Montrose County - Criticism of election 'no surprise' LINK
FL: Sarasota County - Too many unknowns LINK
HI: State's top elections official will step down LINK
NY: New York City ? Board of Elex Raided
City 'Criminal Probe' LINK
OH: Cuyahoga County - 2005 Pepper Pike election decided LINK
OH: North Baltimore - Some want nonpartisan village voting LINK
PA: Northampton County - Registrar counters with lawyer LINK
VA: Star County - Political Parties Plan for November Election LINK
Estonia: Estonia claims new e-voting first LINK
**"Daily Voting News" is meant as a comprehensive listing of reports each day concerning issues related to election and voting news around the country regardless of quality or political slant. Therefore, items listed in "Daily Voting News" may not reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or OpEdNews.Com**
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'Daily Voting News' For March 01, 2007 |
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John is the Executive Director of VotersUnite.Org
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