fair elections

To our Ohio readers:

Come join Jennifer Brunner, the person who has restored fair elections in Ohio, as she is honored with the Profiles in Courage award from the JFK Library Foundation:

This was supposed to be published a couple of days ago but never appeared.

Well, when people were saying that the California Electoral Vote Initiative (which had been pushed on California by an Ass-Biting (literally) Republican from Missouri) had died a well deserved death, I predicted it would be back. Well, the Republican Ass-Biter initiative to steal elections is indeed back, as reported on Daily Kos.

This initiative basically messes with the electoral system without fixing it. This kind of change either has to be done in EVERY state, or not at all. Anything else is just unfair and inappropriate and contrary to our founding father's intentions with te electoral college system. Now many would rather abolish the electoral college system. That would be fine too. But to manipulate it for partisan reasons is just plain wrong.

Contact your state representatives (Dem AND Repub...including Arnold himself...this is a FAIRNESS issue). And contact your local news media to give them your opinion of this unfair messing with California's electoral vote that came from Missouri

All I can say is it is about time we start seeing this. This should have gotten going in all 50 states after the 2000 election.

From the Michigan Democratic Party:

LANSING - Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer today announced that state Democrats would participate in an unprecedented 50-state election protection program to prepare for the 2008 election. Through the Democratic National Committee’s 50 State Strategy, the DNC Voting Rights Institute and the National Lawyers Council, Democrats across America are conducting an in-depth nationwide survey to collect critical data on the often confusing and complex sets of administrative practices and decisions governing our nation’s elections. With the help of DNC-funded staffers hired through the DNC’s State Party Partnership program, Michigan Democrats will work with election officials throughout the state to help identify potential issues so they can be resolved well in advance of the 2008 election.

“As America prepares to mark the 42nd anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, I am honored to announce this unparalleled effort to bring the ideals of that landmark law closer to reality,” Brewer said. “When President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act in 1965, he called right to vote the ‘basic right without which all others are meaningless.’ But 42 years after the signing of this legislation, the right to vote is still under assault. Michigan Democrats will not rest until every single eligible voter can register to vote, cast their ballot without fear of intimidation or harassment, and have confidence that their vote will be counted fairly and accurately.”

Last year MoveOn.org put on one of the biggest GOTV pushes, quite possibly playing a major role in our big wins in November. They have become one of the mainstays of the progressive movement (though I did witness how they can seriously overwork their people).

Now MoveOn.org is taking on voting machines, pushing to ensure a paper trail. Here is their latest campaign:

Too many voters are still stuck with paperless electronic voting machines—machines that are vulnerable to tampering and malfunction.

A new bill in Congress would ban paperless voting. It's got enough support to pass, but time is short. This week, the Democratic leadership is deciding what Congress will take up next. If they don't put voting reform on the agenda, there simply won't be time to make the change by the 2008 presidential election.

Sign this petition to ask the Democratic leaders in Congress to ban paperless voting before it's too late: "Congress must ban paperless voting in time for the 2008 election. As voters, we support Rep. Rush Holt's paper ballots bill."

Clicking here will add your name to the petition.

This November, a Democrat in Florida lost a close House race when 18,000 votes went missing from paperless voting machines.1 Never again.
This bill is the strongest paper ballot legislation ever introduced in Congress. It's supported by Common Cause, People For the American Way, the Brennan Center for Justice, VerifiedVoting.org, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, VoteTrust USA, and local election integrity groups across the country.2 Newspapers like the New York Times, the Washington Post, and Roll Call have all editorialized in support of the bill.3

For years we have had a do-nothing, rubber stamp Congress, with Republicans blindly following Bush and Democrats largely excluded from the process by Republican strong arm tactics...and excessive cowardice by Democrats when they WERE allowed a part in the process.

Well, November 2006 changed all that. We now have possibly the hardest working Congress of my life time. The result is a rush of excellent bills in Congress. I want to mention a few of them and urge you to write your Congress Critters and the media to express your opinion on any of these bills you have an opinion on.

First, there is the revived, somewhat improved Rush Holt (D-NJ) bill to ensure a paper trail for elections, introduced last year but prevented from coming to a vote by the Republican Congress. This year Holt is back with HR 811. (NOTE: It is only Feb. and they are already up to 811? Busy people!!) This bill doesn't cover everything, but it does a lot to ensure our elections are at least verifiable. Simply put, it would prevent the situation we had in FL-13 in November where there was a highly suspicious undercount of Democratic votes for Congress but no legal way to do a recount. HR 811 would help fix that.

For our readers in Colorado, I want to pass along a message from Colorado Senate Majority Leader, Democrat Ken Gordon, discussing two important issues: protesting the war and election reform. Ken Gordon is urging your participation in January 27th protests against the war and is asking your input regarding all-mailed voting. I urge you to contact him regarding these issues. If you do, tell him you heard about it from Culture Kitchen!

Iraq War Demonstration: On Saturday, January 27th at noon on the West Steps of the Capitol there will be a demonstration in favor of peace in Iraq, diplomatic solutions to the current conflict, and the safe return of American troops. For those who favor a change in the policy that our administration has been pursuing, and has proposed, this would be a good place to express your position. Bring signs. The demonstration is being sponsored by The Interfaith Alliance Policy Committee and I'm sure by the 27th by many other organizations. It is our intent to have speakers from the faith community, Iraq Veterans and military families. There is also going to be a demonstration in Washington D.C. on that day in response to the proposal to send additional troops to Iraq, for people who are unable to get to the main demonstration in Denver.

Please forward this notice to any list you might have and ask organizations with whom you are associated to publicize this event as well. The press will focus on the numbers of people present to judge the feelings of the community. If you have ideas for speakers, email Nelson Bock of The Interfaith Alliance at nbock6552@aol.com

I have been covering the problems with touch screen voting machines for some time, pointing out how almost every Tech-savvy person who analyzes them at all finds them shoddy and unreliable. Having a real, legally recountable paper ballot is the only way to have elections that we can have any confidence in.

Right now we have two days to get Congress to act to ensure a paper ballot whatever technology is used for voting. That would go a long way to preserving our rights. VoteTrust USA has the following URGENT action alert (two days to act!!!):

URGENT ACTION ALERT!
TELL CONGRESS TO PASS EMERGENCY PAPER BALLOT BILLS NOW!

With only two days remaining before Congress recesses until after the November 7 election, and with the failures and malfunctions of electronic voting machines finally receiving real attention from the mainstream media, emergency bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate to make contingency paper ballots available in all touchscreen jurisdictions. On Tuesday, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced S. 3943, the "Confidence in Voting Act" that would provide funding to jurisdictions for the printing of emergency paper ballots, and on Wednesday, Rep. Rush Holt introduced a similar mesasure, HR 6187, in the House.

This morning (Thursday, September 28) at 10 am the House Administration Committee will hold a previously scheduled -- and long awaited hearing on "Electronic Voting Machines: Verification, Security, and Paper Trails." The word on the Hill is that the Committee will discuss this emergency legislation during the hearing. VoteTrustUSA will be at the hearing, providing background information to Committee members, and hosting a press event after the hearing. This is our last, best chance to make a difference in the 2006 election!

It All Comes Down to You! Your Calls Make a Difference. Call Your Representative NOW!