URGENT! Support needed for NJ election audits legislation S.507

[AmBlue]

Subject: URGENT!!! S.507 Needs OUR Help!

This is urgent, and must be done today or tomorrow AM (Nov
30, 2007) at the latest!

Please pass this on to other listservs as you see fit.
It has national significance for the 2008 elections and beyond!:

Last night, on Voice of Voters Radio, http://www.voiceofthevoters.org /
New Jersey State Senator Nia Gill, the sponsor of the model NJ election
audit bill, S.507, with which most people on this list should now be
somewhat familiar, asked for calls to be made to Governor Corzine's
Office.

Why?

Because the State's Chief Election Official -- the Attorney General --
who is unelected and reports to Governor Corzine, wants to gut this
vital bill which most consider to be a model for the nation!

Contact info for Gov. Corzine:
Phone: [phone]

It is of the utmost urgency that we do this NOW! The bill will be voted
out of committee on Monday, Dec 3.

The details:

The AG wants to CAP ALL STATISTICAL POWER REQUIREMENTS at an AD HOC
AUDIT PERCENTAGE of 3, 5 or 10%, any time these numbers would result in
SMALLER, LESS EFFECTIVE AUDITS of Electronic Vote Counts than the PROPER
use of statistical power (sometimes known as confidence or
significance), as called for in current version of S.507.

Not only is there no scientific or mathematical basis for doing this,
but such arbitrary caps on hand counts would:

- HOBBLE THE INDEPENDENT AUDITORS required by S.507;

- make it unlikely or next to IMPOSSIBLE for audits to confirm the
correct winners and losers of many elections (especially closer races
where larger audits are needed the most);

- not require the use of statistical audits of any kind if the AD HOC
PERCENTAGES RESULT IN SMALLER samples.

Contact info for Gov. Corzine:
Phone: [phone]

The bill currently requires statistical power levels to confirm the
outcomes of elections of:
99% for ALL federal and statewide elections and
90% for other smaller elections such as the entire State Legislature.

This will ensure that enough votes are COUNTED BY HAND to confirm the
outcome of any such audited election with a high degree of certainty,
completely independent of software.

Contact info for Gov. Corzine:
Phone: [phone]

Your message to the Governor Corzine should be:

- Tell the Legislature to PASS S.507 As Amended by Senator Gill -- NOT
by the Attorney Genral.
- Tell the Attorney General to drop her amendment to cap the audits and
hobble the auditors.
- Do NOT impose arbitrary caps on the size of post-election audits.
- Confirm the outcomes of ALL Federal and State elections independently
of software.

BUT THIS HAS TO BE DONE TODAY or Friday Morning, Nov. 30, because the
hearing to bring this bill out of committee is scheduled for Monday,
Dec. 3.

Contact info for Gov. Corzine:
Phone: [phone]

Let me know if you make a call and what the governor's office has to
say!

E-Voter Education Project
NY, NY
http://e-voter.blogspot.com /

[troubleinwinter]

1. K & R! I called this morning... they seemed pleased to get calls.

[AmBlue]

2. PLEASE KEEP CALLING.... note of thanks from NJ

> Note from NJ
>
> You folks are doing a good job calling the Governor's office. Their
> lines are busy busy. Keep it up!
>
> CFPA and others have also urged our NJ citizens to call in to the
> Senate State Government Committee _in support for Nia Gil's bill_ S507
> with _her_ ammended language, not the AG's, and _to speak against
> S2949_ which would evicerate NJ law already providing for VVPAT as of
> 1/1/07. Anathema.
>
> It is quite a mess.
> Thanks
> Irene
> Irene Etkin Goldman, Chair
> Coalition for Peace Action
> Princeton, New Jersey USA
> www.peacecoalition.org