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Tell Congress: Vote for E.A.S.Y., the 'Emergency Election Assistance for Secure Elections Act' |
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On Tuesday, April 15, the U.S. House of
Representatives will vote on a bill that would help ensure election
integrity in time for the November 2008 election.
Please CLICK
HERE to send the letter below to your member of Congress
IMMEDIATELY. The U.S. House of Representatives needs to show
overwhelming bi-partisan support for this bill so the Senate will
quickly act and President Bush will sign the bill.
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Dear [insert your legislator's name] :
I am writing to urge you to support H.R. 5036 when it is voted on this
Tuesday. The Emergency Election Assistance for Secure Elections Act –
the “EASY” bill is needed to secure the November 2008 elections.
Broad support in the House will ensure passage by the Senate and
approval by the president in time for the November election rapid.
H.R. 5036 will provide stays with
funding for paper-based voting and audits of the vote count. The
bill will assure election integrity nationally by making sure that
votes are counted in a transparent and auditable way.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
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Thank you for taking the time to help
bring election integrity to elections in the United States.
Counting the vote right in a way
people can trust is the foundation of legitimate democracy.
Go to: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1331/t/3732/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=24240 to send a letter to your member of Congress. |
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Bring HR 5036 to a Vote for 2008! |
Send the letter below
IMMEDIATELY. House Majority Leader Hoyer decides when there is a vote
on the Holt election reform bill, which is currently out of House
Committee and needs to get to the Floor quickly in order to be put in
effect in time for the election this year.
Click here
to send this letter to House Majority Leader Hoyer NOW!
Dear Majority Leader Hoyer:
I am writing to urge you to bring H.R. 5036 to a vote as
soon as possible. The Emergency Election Assistance for Secure
Elections Act –
the “EASY” bill is needed to secure the November 2008 elections.
This bill has been approved by the Government
Operation Committee and the next step is a vote by the full House,
before it
goes to the Senate.
In order for this bill to take effect in time for the
November election rapid action is needed by the House of
Representatives.
As you may know, Maryland
approved the transition to paper-based voting last year and this year
approved
the funding needed for the transition. Now
we need to assure election integrity nationally to make sure that votes
are
counted in a transparent and auditable way. This is the purpose of the
EASY
bill.
Your leadership is essential – right now. As the Majority Leader you
are charged with managing the
House Floor and scheduling legislation for consideration, as well as
helping to
unify the Caucus and deliver the Democratic message. This is
exactly what is needed now.
Thank you for your attention to
this important matter.
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FIVE YEAR CAMPAIGN TO END PAPERLESS VOTING SUCEEDS |
General Assembly Funds Transition to Paper Ballots
TrueVote Will Focus on Implementation and National Legislation
On March 5, the Maryland budget passed and it included funding for the transition to paper-based voting. This culminates five years of effort by thousands of Maryland citizens who care about their democracy. TrueVoteMD thanks all of you for your support and efforts. TrueVoteMD.org, the largest electoral integrity organization in Maryland, applauded the General Assembly for providing funding for transition toward a paper-based voting system with optical scan machines counting the vote.
Maryland will transition to a less expensive, more reliable and more transparent voting system in 2010. Maryland joins a national trend to paper-based voting and ending the experiment of paperless, electronic voting.
"TrueVoteMd.org, a citizen based effort for democracy, has succeeded in a five year campaign to end paperless voting in Maryland. This is a tremendous victory for Maryland voters and shows that citizens, working together, can make a difference," said Kevin Zeese, executive director of TrueVoteMD.org. "This transition will provide voters with a voting system that can be trusted. Paper-based voting means there will be a voter verified paper ballot that can be recounted. This will also allow audits of the optical scan count to make sure the machines worked properly. In addition, the voting system will be less expensive than the current paperless Diebold system. Maryland voters will have a more trustworthy voting system and a less expensive one."
Linda Schade, the first executive director of TrueVoteMD, who now serves on their Board of Directors, said "When we began TrueVoteMd.org, five years ago, we found Democrats, Republicans, third party and independent voters all agreed that Maryland needed a voting system that could be trusted. Thousands of Marylanders, from every county, worked together to push the Maryland legislature to end paperless voting. This is a victory for the people of Maryland."
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Read more...
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Senate Budget Committee Passes Budget: Funds Transition to Paper-Based Voting |
On Friday, March 7th, the Senate Budget Committee passed the budget and included funding for transition to paper-based voting with optical scan counts.
“TrueVoteMD applauds this decision, not only is it a wise budget decision but it is wise electoral policy. Maryland voters will soon be voting on a voting system that is transparent and provides for meaningful recounts,” said Kevin B. Zeese, executive director of TrueVoteMD.org an election integrity organization. Zeese thanked the Chairman of the Committee, Ulysses Currie and the Vice Chairman Edward Kasemeyer who have been supporters of a return to paper-based voting. Zeese also thanked Senate President Mike Miller for his support.
On Monday March 10th the Senate is expected to vote on the budget then the House will be considering it.
“We have been pleased to see the deep support for a return to paper-based voting in both Houses in Annapolis. Five years of effort by citizen groups has definitely gotten the message across to legislators. We appreciate them hearing us,” said Zeese.
Tonight, TrueVoteMD is a co-sponsor of the Dance for Democracy in Baltimore (see www.DanceForDemocracy.org) and will be celebrating this victory with its colleagues and supporters.
Please make a phone call or send an email to the chairman and vice chairman thanking them.
ULYSSES CURRIE
Chiar
(301) 858-3127, (410) 841-3127
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3127 (toll free)
e-mail: ulysses.currie@senate.state.md.us
EDWARD J. KASEMEYER
Vice Chair
(410) 841-3653, (301) 858-3653
1-800-492-7122, ext. 3653 (toll free)
e-mail: edward.kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us
You can also send a click and send letter to the entire legislature from http://truevotemd.org/content/view/618/41/. Urge the Senate to vote the funding on Monday and let the House know we want their support as well. |
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Paper Ballot Funding Continues Progess in Annapolis Budget Process |
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February 22, 2008. The Senate Subcommittee responsible for the State Board of Elections budget held a hearing on February 18th, 2008. The most important comment at the hearing was from Linda Lamone who promised "if you leave the funding in for the new voting system we will move ahead professionally" to implement it. There was no indication from anyone on the subcommittee that the funding for the transition to paper-based voting was likely to be cut. The budget process seems to be moving forward smoothly. The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and Administration will be holding its hearing on February 27th at 1:00 in Room 150.
While Lamone said she would move ahead to implement the new voting system, the analyst for Maryland Legislative Services, Simon Powell, said it is important that their be "executive buy-in" when making technology purchases and noted that Ms. Lamone continues to oppose the transition. As a result one of the recommendations made by MLS was for more oversight by the legislature during the process. They are recommending that the budget committees of both houses review the "Request for Proposals" and the contract before they are approved. The MLS also made recommendations to expand the less from three years to five years to reduce the annual costs and two recommendations to prevent unecessary spending on the current Diebold system. You can see the full MLS report at: http://www.mlis.state.md.us/2008RS/budget_docs/All/Operating/D38I01_-_State_Board_of_Elections.pdf.
TrueVoteMD endorses the recommendations of MLS and urges all responsible officials in Annapolis to closely monitor the contracting process for the new system. The Governor, Comptroller and Attorney General as well as the State Board of Elections should all exercise their responsibility and oversee the process of the SBE staff. Maryland needs to make sure to get it right this time. Tax payer dollars need to be spent wisely. We do not want another multi-million dollar error. And, we want to make sure Maryland gets the best voting system possible. TrueVoteMD is ready and willing to assist the state government in any way possible. |
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