Voting Machines Should include a Paper Trail 2008 Election

[Ethelk2044]

We should push Congress to pass a bill to mandate all
voting machines to have a paper trail before 2008.  We should
not let up on the issue.  We have too much at state for this
not to happen.  Lets make a push to get the House and Senate
to
pass a bill which mandates this to happen.  We have proven
by he Democrats getting the majority in the Senate our voices
can and will be heard.  

[orleans]

1. good news: that bill already exists! my post from yesterday:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2701688

don't be complacent with our gains--call on your senators to fix the voting problems while we have the chance!

if we wait it could be too late

this is what the petition letter says:

"In the wake of yet another election clouded by questions about vote integrity, I urge you to support legislation requiring voter verified paper records of ballots cast, as well as random audits of electronic voting machines. Such legislation will restore credibility to America's tarnished electoral system.

In February 2005, legislation was introduced in the House that would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to allow all voters using all voting systems to review hard copies of the ballot, and correct errors, before the vote is cast. It would also mandate random audits of voting machines to ensure functionality, as well as improving access at polling places for voters with disabilities. This legislation, the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act (H.R. 550), has broad bipartisan support, with 220 cosponsors in the House.

I urge you to return integrity and confidence in America's electoral process by passing similar legislation in the Senate. "One person, one vote" is the most cherished principle of our democracy. Please protect it."

(i added the following--keep in mind my senators are durbin & obama)

Just because we won this one doesn't mean these machines "worked" properly--word has it that democrats would have swept in bigger numbers had the votes been counted accurately.

Now that we control the House and Senate this is our chance to get it right and correct this extremely important problem. Until the American people can vote and know that our votes are counted and our voices are heard nothing else matters.

This is an urgent matter. It needs to be corrected right away. Otherwise we run the risk of losing all we gained on November 7th. Please make this matter a priority.

http://www.getitstraightby2008.org/c.hnKKIINpEqG/b.2227...

please sign this petition from commoncause.org so that everyone can have a voice and know that their voices are being heard.

to read the bill (H.R. 550):
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:H.R.550 :

we've got a limited time to GET IT STRAIGHT BY 2008

just sign on:
http://www.getitstraightby2008.org/c.hnKKIINpEqG/b.2227...

[still_one]

3. All I know is Dean said that would be the top priority now that we have Congress

Frankly, after six years it is a disgrace that it has effectively gone nowhere

This perhaps would be our last opportunity to save the republic by correcting the problems with the machines

It includes not only a paper trail, but NO MORE companies that will NOT give their source code to the government for review

I also think that voting should NOT be just one day, but spread out over several days

I will be surprised if anything happens though

[AtomicKitten]

2. Election reform immediately!

We can't wait on this issue in preparation for 2008.

[RC]

4. "A paper trail..." is not good enough!

Any system that involves electronics that does not use a human readable paper BALLOT is still open to all of the abuses we have seen the last six years.
A receipt is not a ballot. A roll of paper going by a small window is not a ballot.
There is absolutely no reason for not using paper ballots, unless you are looking to utilize election fraud to change the outcome of one or more races during an election.