I wrote every single US Senator and this is the only one who wrote back

[bluetrain]

or at least, wrote back on topic. I assume this is a "Voting Issues" form letter but maybe more pressure can be applied:

From: [e-mail]  
Subject: Re: Your Concerns
Date: Tue, 30 Nov 2004 08:03:33 -0500

Dear XXXXXXXXXX:

Thank you for contacting me about the 2004 Presidential election and election reform. I appreciate hearing your views on this matter.

Allegations of voter suppression and election fraud as well as questions about the reliability of our voting systems are serious concerns. As the 2004 election results are certified and evaluated, we must work to address any issues that may arise. We must ensure that all eligible citizens have the opportunity to vote and that every vote is counted.

According to the Committee for the Study of the American Electorate, in the 2000 presidential election 2.5 million votes out of 101 million were not counted. In other words, many Americans made the effort to participate in our democratic system, yet their votes did not count. This is simply unacceptable.

In 2002, I supported the Help America Vote Act (HAVA, P.L.107-252), which is a major step toward correcting many of the inadequacies of our election system. This law established a set of standards to correct voting errors and to ensure accessibility for the disabled. It also encourages states, along with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), to set uniform benchmarks and reporting requirements for voting system performance. In addition, HAVA ensures that the most effective voting equipment is available to states by funding research and pilot
programs, performing studies on voting technology, and providing explicit voter guidelines and certification programs.

HAVA authorized funds for each state to purchase new voting systems that comply with HAVA's standards. In Michigan, the Secretary of State convened a HAVA Advisory Committe to review the available systems and Michigan's needs for future elections. In 2003, Michigan's Secretary of State announced that she selected an optical scan voting system for Michigan. The optical scan voting system requires voters to place a markin a designated spot on the ballot next to the name of the candidate receiving the vote. When the votes are counted these marks are read by
an optical scanner. The optical scan voting system creates and preserves a paper trail of each vote, thereby greatly enhancing the security and accuracy of election results.

In February 2004, the Information Security Institute at Johns Hopkins University released an analysis of electronic voting systems (http://avirubin.com/vote.pdf). This and other reports found major flawsin certain direct record electronic (DRE) software programs, often referred to as touch-screen voting systems, which were used in several states. If left uncorrected, these flaws could intentionally enable unscrupulous persons to modify existing votes or to cast multiple votes by using a counterfeit voting card. Because of the fundamental importance of fair and accurate elections to our democracy, I support providing additional funds for HAVA programs to ensure that all voting systems and procedures, including DRE systems, are secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible.

HAVA also establishes provisional voting systems to ensure that no registered voter is turned away from voting booths, allows every blind and disabled person to cast a vote privately and independently, and utilizesstatewide voter registration lists and verification systems for voters who register by mail to permit only eligible voters to vote. This law also established a new federal agency, the Election Assistance Commission, which is a bipartisan group of commissioners who have no rulemaking authority but issue voluntary guidelines for voting systems and their requirements.
This commission also carries out the grant programs, provides for the certification and testing of voting systems and studies election issues.

Unfortunately, President Bush and the Congressional majority provided insufficient federal funding for HAVA programs prior to the 2004 election, which prompted great concern. The Fiscal Year 2004 Omnibus Appropriations Act (P.L.108-199) allocated $500 million to improve our electoral system, only half the amount authorized for FY04.

While HAVA has gone a long way toward reforming our electoral system, more needs to be done. I am hopeful that during the next Congress we will be able to work together on a bipartisan basis to address these concernsand to restore the public's faith in the electoral process. The goal of ensuring that every vote counts is essential to ensuring democracy. American voters deserve an electoral process that is both secure and accurate, and I will continue to work to ensure that every citizen is afforded that right.

Thank you again for writing.

Sincerely,
Carl Levin

[freeplessinseattle]

1. wow, that was a thoughtful and long letter, kudos to him for taking time

and where the hell is Patty Murray? maybe she doesn't care anymore since she's been reelected so many times, grrr.

[ClassWarrior]

3. That's irresponsible to say about Patty Murray.

Have YOU tried contacting her? Maybe it'd mean more coming from one of her constituents. In fact, if you can, visit her office and talk with a staffer.

NGU.

[freeplessinseattle]

5. relax, I love her, voted for her, wrote her, do YOU know why she hasn't

stepped up to the plate? If you have some inside info, please, don't keep it to yourself!

[ClassWarrior]

6. My point is that YOU don't know her motives, so why are you ripping her?

If you wrote her and she didn't write back - KEEP TRYING!!

And I'm very relaxed, by the way. Thanks for your concern.

NGU.

[skylarmae]

2. Carl Levin - One of the Good Guys -

It doesn't surprise me that he would be the one (if there was to be only one answer) to respond to your letters. Like I said in the subject line, HE'S ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS..Wish we had more like him!

[sabra]

4. That's an excellent reply!

He even referred to Dr. Rubin's report, which shows he has done his research. I am impressed. Thanks for posting.

[bluetrain]

7. You're welcome. I hope

you will all contact him and stress the importance of becoming vocal on the "concerns" now as the likelihood of getting anything bipartisan done in Congress (especially regarding Vote Fraud) seems slim to none.

[PATRICK]

8. But what I hear

when this kind of thing is presented in responsible legislative fashion is that our Dem leaders will be burning the midnight oil for bipartisan reforms(which the GOP is more adverse to than ever) and responsible funding of those reforms(something Bush never has and never will do for anything decent). What I do not hear is any admission that there has been ongoing and systematic GOP fraud behind modern Dem defeats.

I don't see any light bulbs going off when the major "reforms" the Dems tout(those who crafted and voted for HAVA) are only implemented with advantages for GOP and vast new fraud. No one seems to get it. No "doh!" moments. This is how they let themselves get swindled in 2000, 2002 and 2004 and how they are determined to do it all over again. Most were very resigned after the 911 bubble for bubble brain to let Bush have his eight. Gosh darn those midterms weren't so hot.

There is some patronizing in this letter soothing our concerns. Well, one of our concerns is that the party is dead in the water, not that they have to legislate better and exert some mythical pressure on their wonderful friends across the aisle or the rampaging Shrub.

By the time HAVA get accountability for those machines(which I doubt will happen seeing how they are squelching public outcry now) they will move on to the ludicrous outrage of online voting at least in a good chunk of absentee balloting. While Levin is getting up to speed on the last decade, his buddies across the aisle are doing their usual. Planning a step ahead, always one step ahead.

Where the sense of urgency or crisis? Why so polite as not to mention where the bulk of the fraud is coming from and going to?

[KoKo]

9. Not surprising....Carl Levin is about the only one we have left who

listens.

[bluetrain]

10. I just wrote him back. I hope

he listens AND takes action.

It's really insane to me how backwards this whole thing has become; that we have to scream to have our voices heard.

That article about the newspaper determining its content based on the people's interest kind of broke my heart.

[zann725]

13. Yeah, but he's NOT offering to correct THIS election!

His whole letter is about past elections, and legislation; and POSSIBLE future look-see's into changing things. While it was nice he took time to write such a long letter (implying he's got A LOT of letters like yours), it would've been hopeful if he'd actually said we're going to see what can be done BEFORE Electoral Votes are certified.

Please, if the Ukraine election can be contested, so can ours!

[SharonRB]

11. I got the same letter from him

He's one of my senators and I wrote him a couple of weeks ago. I got what I think is the exact same response from him (I can't seem to find the e-mail -- I may have deleted it). Our other senator, Debbie Stabenow, did not respond, nor did Carl's brother, Sander, who is my rep in Congress.

[Bread and Circus]

12. It's a form letter, but at least he addresses it. It pisses me off that..

they under-funded it yet stupid-ass Kerry failed
to make any political light of it. Given the shithole
of election 2000, you think he would have made a bigger
deal about it.

[electropop]

Sen Allen's reply to me

I am a VA resident and constituent of Senator Allen

> Dear ____:
>
> Thank you for contacting me with your concerns regarding voting in
> federal elections. I appreciate your thoughts and value the opportunity
to
> respond.
>
> Since the election of 2000, the number of concerns over voter
> registrations and balloting has increased. I, like many of my Senate
> colleagues, find any proven acts of voter fraud or disenfranchisement a
> grave and serious offense that must be addressed immediately by the proper
> authorities. It is very important that we are able to restore America’s
> complete faith in the election process. Free and fair elections in a
> democratic society are the very cornerstone by which we as a nation remain
> a free people. I am working hard in the Senate to ensure that each
citizen
> feels confident about the process and results of our national elections.
>
> To that end, I support the efforts of States and localities to
update
> and improve the accuracy of their voting mechanisms, and I am open to
> appropriate federal incentive funding assistance to modernize voting
> procedures while safeguarding vote security. In addition, I strongly
> supported the passage of the Help America Vote Act, which requires States
> and localities to meet uniform technology and administration standards for
> federal elections. In 2003, I supported an amendment to the Treasury,
> Transportation, and Independent Agencies appropriations bill that will
> allocate $1 billion to fully fund our commitment to the Help America Vote
> Act.
>
> Once again, I appreciate you contacting me on this matter and hope you
will
> not hesitate to contact me again about issues important to you. It is an
> honor to serve you in the United States Senate, and I look forward to
> working with you to make Virginia and America a better place to live,
> learn, work and raise a family.
>
> With warm regards, I remain
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Senator George Allen

[goodboy]

14. Levin is a good guy, but let's see him put his money where his mouth is

If we need a senator to contest the election, I wonder if he'll be on board.

[rodeodance]

15. My Rep. Tammy Baldwin responsed to my email to her.

I did not save it--but many of comments were positive=She was one of the Reps whose name in on the letter to the GEO that requested an investigation.

[goodboy]

17. excellent....(mr. burn's style)

[Liberalynn]

16. I Wrote

both our NY Senators a week after the election and have not heard back from either one.