Fight for Democracy

*G_Man* · 12-11-2006, 12:43 PM

Electronic voting machines in Florida seem to have lost 18,000 votes for Congress—and the race is down to just 369 votes. The only way to recount the votes is to hold another election. Can you sign this petition asking Congress to call for a re-vote in Sarasota, Florida?

Click Here
Dear MoveOn member,
Electronic voting machines in Florida appear to have flat-out lost 18,000 votes for Congress—votes almost certain to change the outcome of a close House race in Sarasota.1

This election meltdown demonstrates the insanity of paperless voting machines. There's no way to recount the votes short of holding a new election. Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—along with Republican and Democratic leaders—are deciding now if Congress will tolerate this broken election or call for a new one.

The decision could come any day—and once it's made, it's hard to reverse. Can you sign this petition urging Congress to call for a re-vote in Sarasota, Florida and to repair our nation's elections? And then ask your friends and family to do the same.

http://pol.moveon.org/floridaelectio...D_iPFJXJlg&t=2

Here's what the petition says: "In the wake of Florida's electronic voting machine meltdown, Congress should call for a re-vote and repair our nation's elections."

Our voices could make the critical difference. There's precedent for calling a new election and Congress has the authority, but it's a bold step. Pelosi and the Congress need to know that people are behind them.

No matter what party you're for, we can all agree we need to repair our broken voting machines so a recount is possible in a close election. Otherwise, no one will trust our elections. That's why it's so important for us to speak up—and ask our friends, family, and co-workers to join us—as soon as possible. We'll deliver your signature to the new House leadership this week—and the total number of signatures will appear in a full-page New York Times ad that Congress will see next week.

A re-vote in Sarasota will make sure every vote is counted in Florida—and focus the nation's attention on the security weakness of paperless voting machines. Shining a national spotlight on this voting crisis will strengthen calls for repairs to our broken election system, including a voter-verified paper record of every vote cast and manual audits of the vote.

The electronic vote tally puts Democrat Christine Jennings just 369 votes behind Republican Vern Buchanan—and the voting problems happened in a Democratic county, so the 18,000 missing votes would almost certainly change the outcome.2 Of course, some people choose not to vote in certain races. But there's no reason this would be six times more common in Sarasota County than in neighboring counties in the same House district—the only difference between the counties was the electronic voting machines.3

Howard Dean has just declared support for a re-vote.4 But Congress is reluctant to get involved, so we need to make sure they'll do the right thing. The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the authority to call for a re-vote. The House intervened in a similar case as recently as 1985.5 The last re-vote in a congressional election was in 1975.6

Together, we can make sure Congress calls for a re-vote in Florida and repairs our elections nationwide. Sign the petition today at:

http://pol.moveon.org/floridaelectio...D_iPFJXJlg&t=3

Thank you for all you do.

–Noah, Ilyse, Ben, Carrie, Eli, and the whole MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Monday, December 11th, 2006

P.S. MoveOn members raised more than $60,000 to support a lawsuit by the non-partisan election watchdogs at Voter Action seeking a re-vote in Sarasota, Florida. The Democratic Party is also fighting for a re-vote in court.

Sources:
1. "Did voting machines steal a Democratic victory?," Salon, November 22, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2231&id=96...D_iPFJXJlg&t=4

2. "House May End Up in 13th District Feud," The Ledger, November 9, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2229&id=96...D_iPFJXJlg&t=5

3. "FL-13: Nitty Gritty," Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, November 14, 2006
http://www.dccc.org/stakeholder/archives/005572.html

4. "Dean calls for revote in Sarasota," Associated Press, December 8, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2260&id=96...D_iPFJXJlg&t=6

5. C-SPAN's Capitol Questions, May 3, 2000
http://www.c-span.org/questions/weekly93.asp

6. "The CQPolitics Interview: Christine Jennings (Fla. 13)," New York Times, December 6, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2006/12/06/cq_2012.html

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*G_Man* · 12-11-2006, 12:43 PM

BTW- I did sign this petition and even added my own tuppence in the box for additional comments.

**Sp00k** · 12-11-2006, 01:03 PM

Just show that we may be in the 21st century but there will always be flaws in the system.

*G_Man* · 12-11-2006, 01:29 PM

Quoting: Sp00k

Just show that we may be in the 21st century but there will always be flaws in the system.

Its not a flaw, its bullshit.

Some things are not safely transferred to technology. The fact this happened in Florida, where all the crap took place back in 2004, both scares me and cracks me up at the same time.

I really hope they send a message and make them redo this election.

My Second Job

**Noodles** · 12-11-2006, 03:41 PM

There is a federal move to de-certify all DREs. I have been working on this at a local
level and nationally with Feingold to demand change based on the following.

Quoting:

November 29, 2006
Feds to Toughen E-Voting Standards?
By Michael Hickins

A federal agency is set to recommend significant changes to specifications for electronic-voting machines next week, internetnews.com has learned.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is recommending that the 2007 version of the Voluntary Voting Systems Guidelines (VVSG) decertify direct record electronic (DRE) machines.

DREs are currently used by more than 30 percent of jurisdictions across the U.S. and are the exclusive voting technology in Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and South Carolina.

According to an NIST paper to be discussed at a meeting of election regulators at NIST headquarters in Gaithersburg, Md., on Dec. 4 and 5, DRE vote totals cannot be audited because the machines are not software independent.

In other words, there is no means of verifying vote tallies other than by relying on the software that tabulated the results to begin with.

The machines currently in use are "more vulnerable to undetected programming errors or malicious code," according to the paper.

The NIST paper also noted that, "potentially, a single programmer could 'rig' a major election."

It recommends "requiring SI [software independent] voting systems in VVSG 2007."

The NIST is also going to recommend changes to the design of machines equipped with paper rolls that provide audit trails.

Currently, the paper rolls produce records that are illegible or otherwise unusable, and NIST is recommending that "paper rolls should not be used in new voting systems."

The lack of software independence has reared its ugly head in Sarasota's Congressional race, where 18,000 fewer votes were cast than in other races on the same ballot.

A recount was futile in that election because Sarasota uses a DRE-type machine.

This has provoked concerns that someone tampered with that election.

County officials told internetnews.com that the machines themselves are now being examined by a team of computer security experts and that they will finish their work by Friday.

Congress has also been on the case.

Hearings were held throughout the summer and fall, and legislation was introduced that would require the use of some form of voter-verified paper audit trail (VVPAT).

These efforts have gathered steam in response to reported machine malfunctions during the March 2006 primaries, as well as studies by the Brennan Center and Princeton University professor Ed Felten, as well as pressure from advocacy groups such as VotersUnite.org.

But evidence is emerging to the effect that paper trails may not be of much help.

For instance, a study of the 2006 primaries in Ohio commissioned by Cuyahoga County, Ohio, showed that the results of that election could not be verified despite the presence of VVPAT.

The study concluded that "the election system, in its entirety, exhibits shortcomings with extremely serious consequences, especially in the event of a close election."

Many former advocates of VVPAT, including John Gideon, executive director of VotersUnite, now favor requiring that all votes be recorded on paper ballots.

"DREs are unacceptable as voting devices and ... the addition of a VVPAT on a DRE is only a placebo to make some voters feel more comfortable," Gideon said in an e-mail.

Computer scientists and election experts such as Roy Saltman disagree with the idea of going back to paper ballots. "If you insist on paper you're tying elections to an old technology," he told internetnews.com.

Doug Jones of the University of Iowa suggested that election officials consider implementing new technologies that enable independent auditing of votes.

He pointed to a system devised by Ted Selker, co-director of the CalTech-MIT Voting Technology Project. "The state of the art systems aren't even on the market."

80% percent of states have them in use. Not all statewide, but in some of their electorial areas.
The Diebold Accu Vote TS is a joke. It is easier to hack than a Sony Playstation.
I would normally post this in video feeds, but it is appropriate here. It is the team
at Princeton showing what a joke the DRE's are.

[youtube]5WMG34cv0zM[/youtube]

To make this just a bit scarier how about his statement from the CEO of Diebold
Walden O'Dell at a 2003 Republican fundrasier.
"I am committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president next year."

I think I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so............

Moving At 33 RPM In An iPod World

*G_Man* · 12-11-2006, 05:07 PM

Pretty interesting and indeed scary. Be sure to sign that petition Noodles. Forcing Florida to have a do-over will make this sort of vote tallying not only unethical, but more expensive, which we both know is the key to change - money.

Washington went all mail, but I don't even trust that, so I went to one of the three voting stations in the county and voted in person and recieved a number matching my ballot which I could later check to make sure my vote was tallied.

**Noodles** · 12-11-2006, 08:46 PM

I just did join the petition.

We get a number also here. There is a ballot I filled out wit hthe number written on it matching my polling slip when they verified my registration.

*G_Man* · 12-11-2006, 09:19 PM

Quoting: Noodles

I just did join the petition.

We get a number also here. There is a ballot I filled out wit hthe number written on it matching my polling slip when they verified my registration.

Cheers.

My Second Job

wIggy · 12-11-2006, 10:23 PM

I refuse to have anything to do with moveon.org. It is an anti-american liberal organization that hates our soldiers. One of the few organizations worse is the ACLU with their communist views shrouded in a "noble" cause.

**Dragoness_Cutie** · 12-12-2006, 06:52 PM

That's just fucking scary...

That machine that you posted the vid about, Noodies... that is the same machine I voted on this year!

**Noodles** · 12-12-2006, 08:25 PM

It is very sickening to think about the possibilities. That is why they must be decertified before 2008.
The Diebold like the one you used is the most common, but all of them have serious
weaknesses and can not be trusted.