Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Wednesday 8/10/05

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Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News Wednesday 8/10/05

All members welcome and encouraged to participate.

Please post Election Reform, Fraud, & Related News on this thread.

If you can:

1. Post stories and announcements you find on the web.

2. Post stories using the "Election Fraud and Reform News Sources" listed here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x371233

3. Re-post stories and announcements you find on DU, providing a link to the original thread with thanks to the Original Poster, too.

4. Start a discussion thread by re-posting a story you see on this thread.

If you want to know how post "News Banners" or other images, go here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=203&topic_id=371233#371391



All previous daily threads are available here:
http://www.independentmediasource.com/DU_archives/du_2004erd_el_ref_fr_thr_calenders.htm

Please "Recommend" for the Greatest Page (it's the link just below). Atlanta Journal Constitution: Tens of Thousands March Supporting Voting Rights Act

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1. RNC: Ken Mehlman Responds to Bogus Election Fraud Group

RNC: Ken Mehlman Responds to Bogus Election Fraud Group

Here is what Brad Friedman of Bradblog was talking about yesterday. The bogus Group American Center for Voting Rights Issues a bogus report and Ken Mehlman Responds as though it was real

http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12fqglg6p/M=251521.4264360.5463879.4155839/D=news/S=7645365:HEADR/_ylt=Am2euEBj7D_3l5K4ReqbWem1qHQA/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1123641699/A=1894157/R=3/SIG=10niob72s/*http://news.yahoo.com

RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman's Letter in Response to Voter Fraud Report by the American Center for Voting Rights

WASHINGTON, Aug. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following is a letter sent from RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman to Brian Lunde and Mark Hearne of the American Center for Voting Rights in response to their report on voter fraud entitled: "Vote Fraud, Intimidation & Suppression In The 2004 Presidential Election."

August 9, 2005
American Center for Voting Rights Legislative Fund
Dear Mr. Lunde and Mr. Hearne:

Thank you for sending me a copy of your report "Vote Fraud, Intimidation & Suppression In The 2004 Presidential Election." I received and examined the report last week, and I agree with you that it is vitally important that our election system be free from fraud and intimidation. When the American people walk into voting booths, they deserve to be confident in the integrity of the system.
As your report documents, this is unfortunately not always the case. And while I believe that the instances of fraud you have revealed are the exception, not the rule, that does not mean that we should accept them -- and we will not.

<snip>

Last week marked the 40th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act. That landmark legislation made a statement of principle: the right to vote belongs to all of us, and no one has the right to take it away or dilute it by intimidation, fraud or suppression. The Republican Party will not rest until this principle is upheld.
Sincerely, Ken Mehlman Chairman, Republican National Committee

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2. WV: Republican Secretary of State Works Election Fraud with Fed Prosecuto

The Republicans are trying to hijack the Voting Rights Act as they let it die and enaged in co-opting the election fraud issue. We must be getting close.

Election fraud probes to continue (West Virginia)

http://www.dailymail.com/news/News/200508059/

Lawrence Messina
The Associated Press
Friday August 05, 2005

Three days after Kasey Warner's as-yet-unexplained departure as southern West Virginia's U.S. Attorney, his stand-in offered assurances that election fraud remains a chief concern of investigators.

Joined by {b]<Republican> Secretary of State Betty Ireland, acting U.S. Attorney Chuck Miller cited Tuesday's speech by U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez to underscore the fight against vote-buying and other abuses.

Gonzales marked the 40th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act by pledging that the goal of federal prosecutors nationwide is "to make voting easier and cheating harder.'' Gonzales has also announced a ballot access and voting integrity program that calls on federal prosecutors to coordinate efforts with the chief election officer of each state, including secretaries of state.
Gonzalez counted 124 pending election fraud cases across the country.

<snip>

But prosecutors on Tuesday had all charges dismissed against another Lincoln resident, Jackie Adkins, previously indicted in that case. And the Justice Department has refused to comment about Warner, who was out as U.S. Attorney on Monday after less than four years on the job.
Appointed by President Bush in 2001, Warner was a career Army officer who hails from a once-prominent state Republican Party family. Miller has declined to comment on news reports suggesting that Warner had let politics play a role in some of his office's election-

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3. Motley Fool: Diebold has a “Dire Quarter”— Wally’s Not Looking Good

Is it any wonder they’re having a dire quarter. Get ready for a dire flame out. They can run but they can’t hide.

Motley Fool
Diebold's Dire Quarter

Tuesday August 9, 4:27 pm ET
By Rich Duprey
When my local credit union merged with another one a few months ago, it upgraded all of its automated teller machines to ones made by Diebold .

<snip>

With this impressive new machine in mind, I thought to research Diebold as a possible investment. What I found was disappointing. As fellow Fool Stephen Simpson reported last month, the company's second-quarter results were less than impressive, with ATM sales coming in almost 12% lower (apparently my credit union was an anomaly) and leading to lower profit forecasts.

<snip>

Even though Diebold is expecting election-systems revenue to grow anywhere from 7% to 38%, that might just be wishful thinking. A test of the TSx electronic voting machines in California the other day revealed major problems: The touch screens froze, printers jammed, and systems crashed. As the software running on the machines is based on Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT - News) Windows operating system, the so-called "blue screen of death" was not unfamiliar to those witnessing the problems. Competitors such as privately held Election Systems & Services and Sequoia Voting Systems now have an opportunity to move in where Diebold was previously thought to have a lock on contracts. California has since denied the company certification to supply voting machines.

Diebold has pointed to the 2002 Help America Voter Act that was passed in the wake of the 2000 Florida presidential election debacle as an impetus for future growth. But these latest testing results are a major stumbling block. Diebold already has two strikes against it after CEO Walden O'Dell openly promised to deliver votes to President Bush in 2003 and lawsuits alleged that software security was inadequate. It can't afford a third strike. Although Diebold plans to fix the problems with its TSx machines, the damage may already have been done: Rejection of the TSx in California could influence other states to do the same.

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4. Self Delete

[Joanne98]

5. Here's my "Diebold is having a BAD quarter" thread.......

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4300505

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6. North America: "Precious Bodily Fluids” Required for Verified Voting

Comeing to a “North American” country near you. Biometric voting…show me your DNA!

Identixwins $2M deal for int'l election system

bizjournals.com
Tuesday August 9, 12:00 pm ET

Identix Inc. was awarded a subcontract to provide its biometric identification platformfor an election system in an unnamed country in the northern hemisphere, the company announced Tuesday.
Minnetonka-based Identix (Nasdaq: IDNX - News), which makes identification systems that use biometric data such as fingerprints or facial scans, said the deal is worth more than $2 million. The company has received an initial payment of $1.2 million, which itplans to record as revenue in the first quarter of fiscal 2006.

The country will use Identix' ABIS facial recognition platform to match voters to voter registration information to prevent election fraud. When voters register, they will have a photograph taken, which will then be converted into a biometric template. The data will be used to ensure no one registers more than once using a different name.
Published August 9, 2005 by The Business Journal

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7. And because I admire them so much...all across the USA

Now here is how to get your public opinion vote to count.

FreewayBlogger.Com: Free Speech, Use it or Lose It

http://www.freewayblogger.com/

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8. Park City, UT: Kathy Dopp of US Counts Votes Stands Up to Diebold

Look, it’s Kathy Dopp of USCountsVotes

Park City Record, Park City Utah
State unfazed by criticism of voting machines

By Patrick Parkinson, Of the Record staff

As the criticism of electronic voting machines builds, Utah officials appear determined to purchase equipment rejected last week by California's secretary of state.

<snip>

The committee picked Diebold electronic machines, which opponents say can easily be hacked into by someone technologically savvy enough to navigate the Internet.

HAVA was passed in the wake of the 2000 election to ensure more accurate vote counts and access to the polls for the disabled.
"There was a failure rate of about 10 percent, and that's not good enough for the voters of California and not good enough for me," California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson told The Oakland Tribune last Thursday.

Jammed printers and other Diebold seizures reportedly plagued a July 20 mock election in California.

"They can be used to rig elections," said Park City resident Kathy Dopp, a Diebold critic and founder of the organization, Utah Count Votes. "Diebold is so easy to hack."


Kathy Dopp of US Counts Votes fighting for voting rights in Utah.

[Extend a Hand]

9. nothing is more important right now

than election reform...kicked and recommended.

[GuvWurld]

10. CALL TO ACTION: Solidarity Request From Arcata, CA

As you have hopefully heard by now, Arcata, CA recently became the first City in the U.S. to adopt the Voter Confidence Resolution. Now we are looking for #'s 2, 3, 4, etc. We have targeted ten cities to potentially be next. The contact info for all Councilmembers in these towns can be found here. You are whole heartedly encouraged to take this to your City Council wherever that may be.

Every City Councilmember/Supervisor in each of these target Cities has received the message below. This is an effort to open the door for their constituents to let them know this is a necessary and appropriate step for them to take in re-establishing Democracy in America. Please call and e-mail and use whatever other means of personal persuasion you may have to show them your support for the Voter Confidence Resolution.


Subject: Solidarity Request From Arcata, CA (Voter Confidence Resolution)

Dear xxx:

I understand your time is valuable so I’ll make this quick. Please take a second and ask yourself:

When 30% of the votes cannot be verified, is there really a basis for confidence in the results reported from U.S. federal elections?

Recently in Arcata, CA, the City Council adopted the groundbreaking Voter Confidence Resolution affirming that indeed, there is no basis for confidence given that unverifiable votes, privatized source code, and secret vote counting ensure inconclusive election outcomes. The Voter Confidence Resolution includes a comprehensive election reform platform designed to ensure conclusive outcomes and create a new basis for confidence in our election results.

I invite you to join the chorus of American citizens and their local officials who are questioning whether the Consent of the Governed is even being sought. To better understand what the Voter Confidence Resolution is and what we hope it will do, please see this primer:

http://tinyurl.com/8rply

You can also see the official resolution as adopted by the City of Arcata at:

http://tinyurl.com/cr2va

In closing, I would like to follow up with you shortly to answer any questions you may have. If you would like to contact me beforehand, please find my e-mail and phone number below.

In Respect and Peace,
Dave Berman
Co-founder, Voter Confidence Committee of Humboldt County, CA
[phone]
[e-mail]

[frictionlessO]

11. ER&D... The DU Activist Incubator

Was so happy to see the massive amount of votes!

You all have gotten very very good at this!

Bravo!!!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[pazarus]

12. fairvote.org

is a great place to keep updated on what is going on with voting reform. They are working hard as anyone to bring attention to the problem and to encourage IRV in elections to include third parties without the spoiler effect.

No, I don't work there.

[TruthIsAll]

13. Got my vote!

/

[MelissaB]

14. Email from People For the American Way

Help Continue the Fight for Voting Rights

"We were beaten, tear gassed, and trampled by horses on that bridge . We cannot forget that people sacrificed and died for the right to vote."
--Rep. John Lewis


Dear Melissa:

This past Saturday marked the 40th Anniversary of the passage of the Voting Rights Act, a law that was enacted after police in Selma, Alabama, beat protestors who were marching with John Lewis for the right to vote. Since then, the Voting Rights Act has been a cornerstone of the evolving legal framework protecting Americans' voting rights.

Despite our progress in the decades since the Voting Rights Act first became law, the 2004 elections showed that a great deal of work remains. People For the American Way Foundation and Election Protection assisted over 42,000 voters who had difficulty casting their ballots in the last election, and received over 200,000 calls to the voter hotline.

PFAW Foundation is in the middle of an effort to prevent the egregious voting rights violations that occurred in 2004 from happening again. Cooperating with other organizations, we brought suit against the leaders of the State of Ohio who have created and maintained a system that severely burdens or flatly denies thousands of citizens their right to vote. We will help implement Election Protection programs in key states during the 2005 and 2006 elections to ensure that ALL citizens have the right to vote and the right to have their votes COUNT.

In a separate campaign, People For the American Way needs your support to remove remaining obstacles to voting. We are fighting for election reforms in nine states, from Arizona to Ohio to Florida. In Washington, D.C., we are advocating for the passage of the Count Every Vote Act, which will set standards for voting machines so that voters can feel confident that their votes count. We are also working tirelessly to ensure that Congress does not undermine the foundation upon which our struggle for voting rights rests by allowing essential provisions of the Voting Rights Act to expire.

We must remain continuously vigilant in our fight for voting rights. People For the American Way and PFAW Foundation's efforts to preserve and protect the right to vote depend directly on you. Please support this important work to safeguard a fundamental democratic right for ALL Americans.

http://pfaw.kintera.org/VotingRights

--Your Allies at People For the American Way and PFAW Foundation