N.C. House approves new voting machine restrictions (paper REQUIRED!)

[Kelvin Mace]

http://newsobserver.com/news/ncwire_news/story/2713470p-9150878c.html

The state House unanimously agreed late Thursday to permit only three types of voting methods in North Carolina and also agreed on how to disburse government grants to help pay for machine upgrades.

The measure, developed after Carteret County electronic voting machines lost 4,438 ballots in last November's election, also requires state election officials to hand out more than $36 million in grants to meet new standards.

With the 2006 elections, voting in North Carolina only will occur in the form of optical scan ballot machines, electronic recording machines or paper ballots counted by hand. Electronic machines would have to provide a paper copy of a voter's ballot, which could be corrected by the voter before they are recorded.

The bill will help voters know their ballots are being counted by accurate and reliable machines that have a backup if a machine fails, said Rep. Jean Preston, R-Carteret.

The fight is not over and we have one last hurdle to jump.

The senate goes home TOMORROW!

The senate MUST act TODAY or the bill languishes until next session:

PLEASE CONTACT SENATE LEADER MARC BASNIGHT AND urge him to adopt the
House changes to the Public Confidence in Elections Act.

Senator Marc Basnight - President Pro Tempore 919-733-6854

Email the other leaders:

Senator Marc Basnight - President Pro Tempore
919-733-6854
[e-mail]

Senator Tony Rand - Majority Leader
919-733-9892
[e-mail]

Senator R.C. Soles, Jr - Permanent Democratic Caucus Chairman
919-733-5963
[e-mail]

Senator Phil Berger, Republican Leader
919-733-5708
[e-mail]

We are inches from the finish line!!!

David Allen

[jojo54]

1. YEAY!!!

Congrats!!! Jersey made it a law a few months ago. I think the trend is starting to go our way.

[WildClarySage]

2. Republicans must be afraid that Dems have caught on

and are going to try something. The guilty are always paranoid the other side will out-sink them. They don't understand integrity at all.

[Kelvin Mace]

3. Actually...

the greatest obstacle to this bill in NC has been DEMOCRATS. The SBoE, appointed by a Dem governor has fought us tooth and nail. A number of Dem election directors (like my own George Gilbert, Guilford Co.) have done eveything possible to derail paper ballots and move to paperless voting.

We have a major Dem Party lawyer who was on the Joint Select Committee with me, who has been pulling every string behind the scenes to derail the bill.

The Republicans have been rather cooperative.

Jean Preston from Carteret Co. is a Republican and served on the Joint Select Committee as well and she has stood behind paper all the way.

[Maggie_May]

10. Its a first step

But does is really count when they do recounts behind closed doors.

[Kelvin Mace]

11. One thing at a time...

We can't do everything at once.

Also, most counties allow observers for recounts.

[VegasWolf]

4. and the Republicans know that the Democrats are more savvy

technically, while Republicans can generally quote Bible verses far
better.

[meganmonkey]

5. Good news

One step further in this battle.

:kick:

[annabanana]

6. I wrote to them all...

And urged them to "show America how it's done", and be the best example.

[Kelvin Mace]

9. Excellent

We've been using the stick, lots of carrot now.

[supernova]

7. RIGHTEOUS!

:bounce: :bounce: This is such great news! Thanks for all your hard work, David! :bounce: :applause: :applause:

[faithnotgreed]

8. fantastic stunning and everything else

lets go north carolina

[loudsue]

12. That's GREAT David! Andy is prolly doing the boogie in his grave!

:bounce: :applause: I'll call all those Senators RIGHT NOW! :woohoo::bounce:

Thanks for reporting in! O8) Andy would be sooooo pleased! O8)

:kick::kick::kick:

[Kelvin Mace]

13. He would indeed

We're close, so close...

[deadparrot]

14. Awesome news!

Congratulations to all you NC DUers. :D

[blm]

15. It only worked because of lots of phone calls...plus, most NC papers

came down for recountable paper trails.

[deadparrot]

16. Still, it's a testament to the will of

North Carolinians. Many citizens would choose not to care that much.

[blm]

17. After the nightmare election we had here, it was clearer for people to see

We can on;y hope that other states don't wait to be shown the need first before they act to protect their votes.

[Kelvin Mace]

18. That helped galavanize the voters

didn't make much of a dent on some election offcicials, however.

:)

[deadparrot]

19. Well, good luck to you in changing your red state to a blue one.

I'm facing the same problem.

Congratulations again. :bounce:

[Kelvin Mace]

20. Would you believe that the Dems

control both houses and the governor's mansion?

Most of our reps are either Vichy Democrats or Dixiecrats.

[deadparrot]

21. The few Democrats we have outside of St. Louis and KC

are also ridiculously DINO.

[Eloriel]

22. FANTASTIC work, David

I'm SO proud of you and your colleagues. Way to go!!

THIS is how it should be done. Congrats.

[SaveAmerica]

23. Can I get a 'Hallelujah?!!' YAAAAAYY!

Every e-mail I wrote was with the hopes of having everything in order for '06. I will gladly write for one more push. I will LOVE love knowing that when we vote we won't have the variety pack voting systems of the past. I wanted so much to do something to make changes but didn't know what. Thank you so much for everything you did to give us direction and guidance.

:yourock:

[Joanne98]

24. David Allen ROCKS!

[SoCalDem]

25. Cynical me..

I still can envision a meeting somewhere, where the states were chosen to demand paper.. just enough "safe" states to make it appear that they were trying to have fair elections, and yet just enough states keeping Diebold, to make sure that republican keep "winning" close races..:puke:

[Kelvin Mace]

26. Well, the war ain't over.

We will take the fight to the next state. I suggest Ohio or Florida.

[leftchick]

27. woo fucking hoo!!!

:woohoo:

this is such great news and Thank you Joyce and all of the rest of NC for verified voting!!