November 6, 2007. Forty enthusiastic phone canvassers will be mobilizing TrueVote supporters this week to call Governor O'Malley and ask him to put funding for HB 392 in this year's budget, lest the bill expires! Given that a special legislative session is underway in Annapolis RIGHT NOW where all minds are focused on budget issues, it is a good week to call our policymakers.

Join us and call the Governor at 410-974-3901.

If possible, also call:

House Ways and Means Committee: (410) 841-3469, (301) 858-3469

Senate Budget and Taxation Committee:(410) 841-3690, (301) 858-3690

Please click here to send a message to your State Senator and Delegate(s) to fund this legislation now!

TrueVote November Newsletter

TrueVoteMD to Urge Gov. O’Malley to Fund Paper Ballot Bill

CALL GOVERNOR O’MALLEY NOW – DURING SPECIAL SESSION - TO FUND PAPER BALLOT BILL

This week in Annapolis, Governor O’Malley has called a ‘special session’ to deal with pressing budget issues in our state. So RIGHT NOW is a unique opportunity to remind our legislators to FUND the new voting system required by SB 392 – the paper ballot bill we passed together earlier this year. We are so close to victory!

What is TrueVoteMD doing?

TrueVoteMD is engaging the governor and legislature on the final step in our effort: making sure the Governor puts funding for the voter verified paper trail bill in the budget. We’ve hired an experienced Annapolis lobbyist with strong relationships in the O’Malley administration to help convey how important verifiable elections are to Maryland voters.

How can you help?

You will be receiving a telephone call on behalf of TrueVoteMD seeking your support and action. You may recall that last year, after four years of effort, Governor O’Malley signed SB 392, a bill passed unanimously by Maryland’s General Assembly, which will switch the state from touch-screen voting machines to a less expensive system that uses paper ballots counted by optical scanners. This will ensure that votes are recorded as voters intend, as well as allow for true recounts which the current system cannot provide.

This change will take place by 2010, but only if the Governor puts funding for it in the next budget. The bill contains a provision saying it expires if not funded by 2009. So if funding is not secured in the 2008 budget, four years of hard work will be null and void. It is critical the governor provides funding to make sure our votes are counted correctly.

We know that with your help we can succeed. TrueVoteMD is contacting everyone to ask for a contribution to help us pressure Governor O’Malley and the state legislature to fund this crucial bill as well as asking you to take action.

Will you help? We want you to do two things:

1. Call the Governor at 410-974-3901 and let him know that funding the paper ballot bill should be a top priority. Below are some talking points.

2. Contribute to TrueVoteMD. Contributions are tax deductible and you can make them on-line here.

Talking Points:

• The Maryland Department of Legislative Services estimates that it will cost only $2 to $3 million per year to lease the optical scan machines – the voting equipment needed to produce a voter verified paper ballot.

• The cost of elections has soared to nearly 10 times the amount we spent before we began using our current Diebold electronic voting system.

• Studies in other states suggest that we could save millions of dollars each year by switching to voter-marked paper ballots counted by optical scanners.

• Before Maryland starting using the paperless Diebold system in 2004, 19 of our 23 counties used paper ballots with optical scan machines – so it’s a known and trusted system, as well as being cost effective.

• 35 other states have gone back to paper ballots.

• There are a number of efforts to pass federal legislation which have gained more support over the last few years. Rep. Holt usually has the best federal bill.

And, if you want to do one more thing, send this newsletter to everyone you know and urge them to join you in urging a voter verified paper ballot so Maryland can have a voting system we trust.

Thank you for your ongoing involvement in this issue.