Progressive Democrat Issue 40: NYC FOCUS

I want to return to an issue that really is hardly getting any attention anymore but may be one of the most important threats to our democracy--voting machines. Here in NY State the choice has been left to the local governments, meaning for us the City Council. The choice is between a more expensive, totally unreliable eVote machine and a less expensive, more reliable optical scan machine (Precinct-Based Optical Scan, or PBOS, machines). The choice should be obvious: PBOS would save money and allow a better, more verifiable paper trail. But lobbyists for the companies that make the machines are pouring money into convincing politicians that the more expensive and less reliable machines are better. We have to balance the big money and protect our vote.

The person I know who has turned this into a crusade to save our democracy is Marjorie Gersten. Here is a Daily Kos diary I put together using information from Marjorie’s newsletter. And the following is from her newsletter:

Ideally, each [City] Council member needs to receive 40-50 calls stating our position, plus asked what they are prepared to do in convincing others. All our media needs saturation, as well. I will e-mail the points and mission to those of you who cannot attend. For starters, go to www.wheresthepaper.com.

This advisory was growing and I wanted to give full focus to election reform. I hope you will begin to telephone next week, and e-mail me your results and questions. Everyone help!

You can write letters to the media and find your Councilmember to write them too. I also urge you to write Gifford Miller who is both the City Council Speaker and is running for mayor.

I also strongly urge people to subscribe to Marjorie’s newsletter and to get involved with her campaign to save our voting system. You can subscribe and volunteer by contacting her at: johnkerry57@covad.net (also listed below in the Brooklyn Events section in connection with he monthly meetup. Marjorie has the information we all need to save NYC voting and she is dedicating her September to lobbying the City Council on voting machines. Please get involved!