Paperless Voting Machines to be Installed in Iowa Unless We Act Now

[pstans]

http://www.blogforiowa.com/blog/_archives/2005/4/25/616685.html

The following is a letter sent to Iowa Secretary of State Chet Culver by Maureen McCue MD, PhD, Coordinator Iowa Chapter, Physicians for Social Responsibility.

Please cut and paste this post and get it out to EVERYONE in your e-mail circle ASAP.

Call or write your legislators, your local newspaper, and Secretary Culver. See contact info. below.

Dear Secretary Culver,

I am very concerned that Iowa may not make paper verification of electronic voting machines available to voters and I'm even more concerned about how this will adversely impact our democracy, our already poor voter turnout and diminishing faith in our electoral system. I turn to you for your help and advice.

During the HAVA meeting in Cedar Rapids, March 28th it was announced that the Iowa Senate had unanimously voted for voter verified paper trails to the electronic voting machines being installed in Iowa. At the time I and, I'm sure, many in the audience, felt this was a done deal: that Iowans would be able to verify that their voting machine had correctly captured their intended vote. I've since learned that the companion bill did not make it through the House to the General Assembly and that this issue of great concern to so many Iowans will die soon without approval. Without a vote in the House for voter verification on paper, Iowa will install paperless machines at which point change to paper verification will not be possible.

Going with a system that does not verify each and every person's vote is a very critical mistake. I understand that those opposed to paper raise issues of cost, waste of paper, and the difficulties of training all the precincts in their use and maintenance. While these are not trivial issues, they are not sufficient reasons to risk loosing even more faith in our electoral process.

I've learned some legislators believe there is only one option for a voting machine with a paper printer option and it is too expensive. But, from comments made at your meeting I understood that several companies including one called Micro Vote, ES &S, as well as Diebold and Sequoia were being considered for use in Iowa.

Democracy is not easy or cheap (look how much we spend on the military that supposedly protects our rights and freedoms, especially or freedom to vote). If we don't urge our representatives to vote on this issue in favor of voter verified paper trails, we essentially give up our right to verifiable elections. This is a very dangerous and steep, slippery slope to the end of democracy as we understand it. I know you are as concerned as I am that our voting system works for all our citizens. At the very least, let's make sure that every vote cast counts - accurately. The time to reclaim our democracy is today!! Please be certain that this issue is not allowed to die. Please tell me what I can do and what you will do to verify that our votes are recorded as intended.

Maureen McCue MD, PhD
Coordinator, Iowa Chapter
Physicians for Social Responsibility
____________________

Take Action: To find and write your legislator click here: www4.legis.state.ia.us/find-leg/

Click here to Contact Sec. of State Chet Culver
or call 515-281-0145

Then contact the media:

Click on the links below to send a letter, or copy and paste the address into your e-mail.

The Des Moines Register [e-mail] or call 800-532-1455

Ames Tribune: [e-mail] or call (800) 234-TRIB

Iowa State Daily [e-mail] or call [phone]

Cedar Rapids Gazette [e-mail] or call 319-398-5869

Quad Cities Times [e-mail] or call [phone]

Sioux City Journal [e-mail] or call 800-397-9820

Iowa City Press-Citizen [e-mail] or call 319-337-3181

The Daily Iowan [e-mail] or call 319-335-6063

Mason City Globe Gazette www.globegazette.com or call toll free: 800-421-0524

Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier [e-mail] or call 800-798-1741

Please write or call and pass this on. We need EVERYONE’s help on this action.

[shance]

1. Thank you. The more we get the word out, the harder it will be for them

to enact using those machines at the least without a paper ballot.

[shance]

2. Please post this in Elections forum and even in General Discussion.

This is important stuff.

It may not be glittery and enticing news, but its what needs to be dealt with.

Thanks.

[progressoid]

3. Thanks for the heads-up.

[rurallib]

4. Wrote my legislator (Jeff Kaufmann - R) 2 weeks ago

He assured me that he favored paper ballot trails and would not vote for anything that was short of that. He responded the same in a message that was forwarded by the Rapid Response network.
I also emailed Jim Hahn, my senator. He never responds and frankly appears not to give two hoots in hell what anybody thinks unless they are affiliated with Iowans for Tax Relief. But I have emailed him.
Jesus I wish Mike Owen and Tom Fiegen had won!