There are many good provisions in the new election reform bill (HR 811 introduced by Congressman Rush Holt D-NJ), called the “Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007.” For example, it would ban wireless communications to reduce the possibility of some types of hacking; it would prevent Diebold, Sequoia, and other voting machine companies from using secret software on the voting machines; and it would require partial hand counts to check the accuracy of the machines.

 

However, the primary problem with the bill is that it allows the continued use of Direct Record Electronic (DRE), or “touch screen” voting machines, as long as they print out a copy of the electronic record of your vote for you to approve (called a “voter-verified paper audit trail” or “VVPAT”). But this “band-aid” cannot solve the systemic problems inherent to DREs. Democracy demands that DREs be banned from all American elections.

 

It has been said of those calling for a “ban DREs” amendment to HR 811 that we intend to “kill” the bill. Nothing could be further from the truth. We do not seek to remove this bill from consideration; we seek to correct a fundamental omission, which we believe presents a grave danger to all future elections.

http://www.votersunite.org/info/2007ElectionReform.asp

 

NAtional: Holt bill would demand paper record of votes

Once defeated, proposal getting a second look with new Democratic majority

http://hub.gmnews.com/news/2007/0301/Front_Page/014.html

 

NAtional: Brad, Common Cause Debate Rush Holt Election Reform Bill on 'Peter B. Collins Show'

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4210

 

CA: Riverside County - Elections chief wary of 'hack' test

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/03/01/news/californian/8_74_302_28_07.txt

 

CO: Montrose County - Criticism of election ‘no surprise’

http://www.gjsentinel.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/03/01/3_1_1b_Montrose_election_folo.html

 

FL: Sarasota County - Too many unknowns

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070301/OPINION/703010832/1030

 

HI: State's top elections official will step down

http://starbulletin.com/2007/03/01/news/story03.html

 

NY: New York City – Board of Elex Raided

City ‘Criminal Probe’

http://www.nypost.com/seven/03012007/news/regionalnews/board_of_elex_raided_regionalnews_david_seifman_____city_hall_bureau_chief.htm

 

OH: Cuyahoga County - 2005 Pepper Pike election decided

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/117274144973470.xml&coll=2

 

OH: North Baltimore - Some want nonpartisan village voting

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070301/NEWS17/703010414

 

PA: Northampton County - Registrar counters with lawyer

http://www.nj.com/news/expresstimes/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1172725614257070.xml&coll=2

 

VA: Star County - Political Parties Plan for November Election

http://www.virginiastar.net/articles/ar07_0228/politics.htm

 

Estonia: Estonia claims new e-voting first

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6407269.stm

 

**Articles included in “Daily Voting News” may not all reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or its allied organizations. These articles are all included for the information of the subscribers of “Daily Voting News” though we realize that the subscribers may not agree with the opinions given in all articles**
 
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