Progressive Democrat Issue 54: NATIONAL ACTION: Voting Rights
From Mainstreet Moms Operation Blue:
Hold on HAVA: A Taxpayers Accountability Project
Did you know...the federal government is forcing local county elections officials into a rushed purchase of persistently flawed electronic voting machines by December 31st -- machines that many counties don't even want?
Lacking promised federal testing standards and guidelines, local officials are in effect, purchasing blind -- while the voting machines fail every state-commissioned independent test they take. Please join MMOB in supporting the National Association of County Officials as they ask for a 2-year moratorium on the HAVA deadline.
Condemned in the GAO "Elections" report and in the bipartisan Carter/Baker Commission report, DRE voting (Direct Record Electronic) in particular has a proven 20% failure rate in the most recent state-commissioned independent test, and an "F" rating in two other state-commissioned independent tests. While 12% of America voted on paperless (DRE) machines in 2000, that number jumped to 30% in 2004. Attempts to retrofit DREs with the paper trail now required in 14 states have proven unworkable to date. National certification expert Stephen Freeman, one of just 5 people in the country qualified to certify voting systems, says he does not believe the VVPATs (voter verified paper audit trails) will work. With 80% of American votes now counted by just two private corporations, Diebold and ES&S, it's time to push back. This is consistently inferior technology taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for, elections officials shouldn't have to swallow, and voters certainly shouldn't have to cast votes on.
If the HAVA deadline stands, there will be a forced rush to purchase these costly, complex, and inadequate systems. Voters and local election officials will be engaged in a giant "beta test" for Diebold and ES&S on Election Day, and the considerable HAVA funding (our tax dollars) will be long gone.
Ask your Secretary of State, the National Association of State Election Directors, and the National Association of Secretaries of State to join the National Association of Elections Officials in demanding a 2-year extension of the HAVA deadline.
Hold on HAVA: A Taxpayers Accountability Project
Did you know...the federal government is forcing local county elections officials into a rushed purchase of persistently flawed electronic voting machines by December 31st -- machines that many counties don't even want?
Lacking promised federal testing standards and guidelines, local officials are in effect, purchasing blind -- while the voting machines fail every state-commissioned independent test they take. Please join MMOB in supporting the National Association of County Officials as they ask for a 2-year moratorium on the HAVA deadline.
Condemned in the GAO "Elections" report and in the bipartisan Carter/Baker Commission report, DRE voting (Direct Record Electronic) in particular has a proven 20% failure rate in the most recent state-commissioned independent test, and an "F" rating in two other state-commissioned independent tests. While 12% of America voted on paperless (DRE) machines in 2000, that number jumped to 30% in 2004. Attempts to retrofit DREs with the paper trail now required in 14 states have proven unworkable to date. National certification expert Stephen Freeman, one of just 5 people in the country qualified to certify voting systems, says he does not believe the VVPATs (voter verified paper audit trails) will work. With 80% of American votes now counted by just two private corporations, Diebold and ES&S, it's time to push back. This is consistently inferior technology taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for, elections officials shouldn't have to swallow, and voters certainly shouldn't have to cast votes on.
If the HAVA deadline stands, there will be a forced rush to purchase these costly, complex, and inadequate systems. Voters and local election officials will be engaged in a giant "beta test" for Diebold and ES&S on Election Day, and the considerable HAVA funding (our tax dollars) will be long gone.
Ask your Secretary of State, the National Association of State Election Directors, and the National Association of Secretaries of State to join the National Association of Elections Officials in demanding a 2-year extension of the HAVA deadline.
posted by mole333 | 7:28 PM
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