I posted this in the 2004 Election forum

[dflprincess]

where it pretty much sank like a rock. I wanted "you guys" to see it

I found this press release in my email today. Four years ago didn't they tell us they'd make sure all votes were counted in 2004? Now, it looks like they're saying 2008.

December 6, 2004

DNC Chair McAuliffe and Voting Rights Institute Chair Donna Brazile
Announce Comprehensive Investigative Study on Election Practices in Ohio

Washington, D.C. - Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Terry
McAuliffe and Voting Rights Institute Chair Donna Brazile announced today that the DNC will conduct a comprehensive investigative study of key election practices and issues surrounding the 2004 general election in Ohio. The purpose of this study is NOT to contest the results of the election but to fulfill the Democratic Party's commitment to ensuring that every eligible voter can vote and that every vote cast, is counted.

"A record number of Americans participated in the 2004 election, especially in Ohio. We owe it to the people who waited hours to vote, who voted for the first time or have voted in every election to understand what happened and what can be done in the future to ensure every voter's rights are protected," DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe said. "We've come a long way since Florida in 2000, but we still have work to do. We must do more as a nation and as a political party to keep voting rights and election reform on the front burner. To that end, I am announcing that the Democratic National Committee - after consulting with our Voting Rights Institute leadership and staff, party activists, supporters, elected officials and others - will conduct a thorough investigation into various election administration
issues that arose in the state of Ohio in the 2004 election."

"The Voting Rights Institute and the Democratic Party stand on the
principle that, regardless of whether we win or they win, every vote should be counted and every voter should have a voting experience free of hassles and intimidation regardless of where they live," VRI Chair Donna Brazile said. "This investigation will not only examine the issue of counting every vote, but seek to answer such questions as why so many people had to wait in line in certain Ohio precincts and not others? Why weren't there enough machines in some counties and not others? Why were so many Ohioans forced to cast provisional ballots? The goal of this investigative study is to get answers that we can use to help implement and advocate reforms in the future."

The DNC investigative study will examine the legitimate questions and concerns that have been raised in Ohio and will develop factual information which will be critically important in crafting further necessary election reforms. Specifically, the investigation will seek to address questions surrounding the issues of adequate voting resources (machines, pollworkers, etc), the high number of provisional ballots - valid and invalid - as compared with other states, anomalies in the reported results as compared with exit polls, historical data, and reported anomalies within counties and precincts and whether the touch-screen machines and tabulating systems functioned properly.

To address these questions and more, the DNC, at its own expense, will assemble a top-flight team of recognized experts to be named at a later date including:
* a political scientist expert in quantitative analysis;
* an expert or experts in the design of computer hardware and software
systems;
* an expert in voting systems and machines;
* an investigator with forensic expertise; and
* a pollster to survey voters who cast provisional ballots and to conduct
other original survey research as needed.

This team will be supported by DNC and state party staff, consultants who were deeply involved in the election effort in Ohio, Ohio attorneys and the DNC legal team. McAuliffe announced that he had reached out to local Democratic elected officials in Ohio and they expressed strong support for the project and promised to cooperate in anyway that they could.

"We are launching this comprehensive investigative study not to contest the results of the 2004 election, but again to help ensure that every eligible vote cast is truly counted. This study will address the legitimate questions and concerns that have been raised in Ohio. Our goal is to understand and report back on what happened and why," said Chairman McAuliffe.

As soon as the team is named, it is anticipated the investigation will begin immediately and a full report will be issued in the spring.

[GAspnes]

1. if they still need that expert in computer system design

I'm available.

[katinmn]

2. We can't roll over on this

"A record number of Americans participated in the 2004 election, especially in Ohio. We owe it to the people who waited hours to vote, who voted for the first time or have voted in every election to understand what happened and what can be done in the future to ensure every voter's rights are protected," DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe said.
--------------------------------------------------------------
Why are they saying four years from now and not now? Are they that out of touch? We all lost over this. We owe it not only to ourselves but to the people in Ohio who stood in line for EIGHT HOURS IN THE RAIN to vote. And their votes were thrown out or given to *.

At least here in Minnesota we come away with a teeny bit of faith within our own electoral process. But people in many states have lost their right to vote and that will spread if we don't speak out.

We need to support them.

http://www.51capitalmarch.com

[hermetic]

3. Things can be done now

DON'T MOURN, ORGANIZE
Disgusted by Bush's election? Get active!
* Visit http://www.unitedforpeace.org for links to events and groups

This call to action is an initiative of the No Stolen Elections!
Campaign and is endorsed by CODEPINK, United for Peace and Justice, 51
Capital March, and others. We are seeking national co-sponsors. If your
national organization is willing to co-sponsor this call, please contact us
at [e-mail]

MORE INFORMATION:

Voter Bill of Rights: http://www.Nov3.US/billofrights

[ISUGRADIA]

4. Call me cynical, but it seems they will "make sure all the votes count"

as long as they can keep raising funds from the issue. It seems they will do bloody little else to actually get things fixed. HAVA is a disaster and the Dems should not have allowed it to pass as it is.