[Iowa-dx] Fwd: ALERT: Pass the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act!

hhart@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu hhart@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu
Mon, 14 May 2007 08:18:43 -0500


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Dear Friends,

National legislation to protect the accuracy of our elections is a =20
step closer to becoming law. HR 811, a bill requiring voter-verified =20
paper records, random hand count audits to check electronic tallies, =20
and independent testing of voting systems will soon get a vote in the =20
House of Representatives.

We need your help to keep the momentum going. Contact your Congressman =20
and call on him to support HR 811, the Voter Confidence and Increased =20
Accessibility Act.

Call the House switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to =20
your Representative's office. Or click any of the Representative's =20
names below for other contact information.

Congressmen Bruce Braley, Leonard Boswell, and Dave Loebsack are =20
cosponsors. Thank them for their support and tell them to keep the =20
pressure on. If you live in Tom Latham's or Steve  King's districts, =20
tell them to join Republicans Frank Wolf of Virginia, Darrell Issa of =20
California, and Greg Walden of Oregon and get on board!


BACKGROUND

On Tuesday May 8, HR 811 was reported out of committee.  Here are some =20
of the things HR 811  will do to protect federal elections:


    Require a durable, voter-verified paper ballot for all voting machines.


    Require hand audits of federal elections in randomly chosen precincts.

    Allocate $10 million for Iowa to purchase paper ballot voting =20
systems! The bill allocates $1 billion for new equipment, and each =20
state gets at least 1% of that amount. Last month the Iowa General =20
Assembly passed Senate File 369, which requires counties to gradually =20
replace all direct-recording touch screens with paper ballots and =20
optical scanners, as the touch screens wear out. The total cost of all =20
counties switching to optical scan systems now? At least $9 million. =20
$10 million in federal money would allow Iowa's counties to convert to =20
paper ballots and optical scan by  2008!

    Ban connection of any election system to the Internet.

    Eliminate the terrible testing system in which voting machine =20
companies choose and pay the testing laboratories that sign off on the =20
security of their products. The present system has failed to detect a =20
litany of security flaws in voting equipment. For people who follow =20
this issue closely, the testing process has been one of  the most =20
disturbing aspects of the story of American elections in the =20
electronic age.
There will be more work to do before 811 becomes law. The fight in the =20
Senate has not begun yet. But with your help, election integrity will =20
soon win a major victory. Thank you for your support in this fight, =20
and for everything you do for our democracy.

Best regards,
Sean Flaherty
Co-Chair, Iowans for Voting Integrity
www.IowansForVotingIntegrity.org


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Dear Friends,

National legislation to protect the accuracy of our elections is a step clos=
er to becoming law. HR 811, a bill requiring voter-verified paper records, r=
andom hand count audits to check electronic tallies, and independent testing=
 of voting systems will soon get a vote in the House of Representatives.

We need your help to keep the momentum going. Contact your Congressman and c=
all on him to support HR 811, the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibili=
ty Act.=20

Call the House switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your R=
epresentative's office. Or click any of the Representative's names below for=
 other contact information.

Congressmen Bruce Braley, Leonard Boswell, and Dave Loebsack are cosponsors.=
 Thank them for their support and tell them to keep the pressure on. If you =
live in Tom Latham's or Steve  King's districts, tell them to join Republica=
ns Frank Wolf of Virginia, Darrell Issa of California, and Greg Walden of Or=
egon and get on board!


BACKGROUND

On Tuesday May 8, HR 811 was reported out of committee.  Here are some of th=
e things HR 811  will do to protect federal elections:


   Require a durable, voter-verified paper ballot for all voting machines.=
=20


   Require hand audits of federal elections in randomly chosen precincts.

   Allocate $10 million for Iowa to purchase paper ballot voting systems! Th=
e bill allocates $1 billion for new equipment, and each state gets at least =
1% of that amount. Last month the Iowa General Assembly passed Senate File 3=
69, which requires counties to gradually replace all direct-recording touch =
screens with paper ballots and optical scanners, as the touch screens wear o=
ut. The total cost of all counties switching to optical scan systems now? At=
 least $9 million. $10 million in federal money would allow Iowa's counties =
to convert to paper ballots and optical scan by  2008!

   Ban connection of any election system to the Internet.

   Eliminate the terrible testing system in which voting machine companies c=
hoose and pay the testing laboratories that sign off on the security of thei=
r products. The present system has failed to detect a litany of security fla=
ws in voting equipment. For people who follow this issue closely, the testin=
g process has been one of  the most disturbing aspects of the story of Ameri=
can elections in the electronic age.
There will be more work to do before 811 becomes law. The fight in the Senat=
e has not begun yet. But with your help, election integrity will soon win a =
major victory. Thank you for your support in this fight, and for everything =
you do for our democracy.

Best regards,
Sean Flaherty
Co-Chair, Iowans for Voting Integrity
www.IowansForVotingIntegrity.org =20
      =20
---------------------------------
Need a vacation? Get great deals to amazing places on Yahoo! Travel.=20
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Dear Friends,<br><br>National legislation to protect the accuracy of our ele=
ctions is a step closer to becoming law. HR 811, a bill requiring<span style=
=3D"font-weight: bold;"> voter-verified paper records</span>, random<span st=
yle=3D"font-weight: bold;"> hand count audits</span> to check electronic tal=
lies, and <span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">independent testing </span>of v=
oting systems will soon get a vote in the House of Representatives.<br><br>W=
e need your help to keep the momentum going. Contact your Congressman and ca=
ll on him to support HR 811, the <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank" href=
=3D"http://cha.house.gov/images/stories/Documents/hr_811_rep_lofgren_substit=
ue.pdf"><span id=3D"lw_1178855103_0"><span style=3D"background: transparent =
none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-backgrou=
nd-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id=3D=
"lw_1179143062_0">Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act.</span></=
span></a>
 <br><br><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-weight: bold; font-style: ital=
ic;">Call the House switchboard at <span style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed =
rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; height: 1em;" id=3D"lw_1178855103_1"><spa=
n style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; heig=
ht: 1em;" id=3D"lw_1179143062_1">202-224-3121</span></span></span></font> an=
d ask to be connected to your Representative's office. Or click any of the R=
epresentative's names below for other contact information.<br><br>Congressme=
n <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://braley.house.gov/Cont=
act/"><span id=3D"lw_1178855103_2"><span style=3D"background: transparent no=
ne repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background=
-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id=3D"l=
w_1179143062_2">Bruce Braley</span></span></a>, <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=
=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://boswell.house.gov/"><span id=3D"lw_1178855103_3">=
<span id=3D"lw_1179143062_3">Leonard
 Boswell</span></span></a>, and <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank" href=
=3D"http://loebsack.house.gov/contact.shtml"><span id=3D"lw_1178855103_4"><s=
pan id=3D"lw_1179143062_4">Dave Loebsack</span></span></a> are <span style=
=3D"font-weight: bold;">cosponsors</span>. Thank them for their support and =
tell them to keep the pressure on. If you live in <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=
=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://www.tomlatham.house.gov/"><span id=3D"lw_11788551=
03_5"><span id=3D"lw_1179143062_5">Tom Latham's</span></span></a> or <a rel=
=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://www.house.gov/steveking/conta=
ct.shtm"><span id=3D"lw_1178855103_6"><span id=3D"lw_1179143062_6">Steve  Ki=
ng's</span></span></a> districts, tell them to join Republicans <span style=
=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; height: 1em=
;" id=3D"lw_1178855103_7"><span style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 10=
2, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer;=
 height: 1em; -moz-background-clip:
 -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-=
policy: -moz-initial;" id=3D"lw_1179143062_7">Frank Wolf</span></span> of Vi=
rginia, <span style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: p=
ointer; height: 1em;" id=3D"lw_1178855103_8"><span style=3D"border-bottom: 1=
px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; height: 1em;" id=3D"lw_11791430=
62_8">Darrell Issa</span></span> of <span style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed=
 rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; height: 1em;" id=3D"lw_1178855103_9"><sp=
an style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; hei=
ght: 1em;" id=3D"lw_1179143062_9">California</span></span>, and <span style=
=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; height: 1em=
;" id=3D"lw_1178855103_10"><span style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 1=
02, 204); cursor: pointer; height: 1em;" id=3D"lw_1179143062_10">Greg Walden=
</span></span> of <span style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204);=
 cursor: pointer; height:
 1em;" id=3D"lw_1178855103_11"><span style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(=
0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; height: 1em;" id=3D"lw_1179143062_11">Oregon<=
/span></span> and <span style=3D"font-weight: bold;">get on board!</span><br=
><br><br style=3D"font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"><span styl=
e=3D"font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">BACKGROUND<br><br></spa=
n>On Tuesday May 8, HR 811 was reported out of committee.  Here are some of =
the things HR 811  will do to protect federal elections:<br><br><ul><li>Requ=
ire a durable, voter-verified paper ballot for all voting machines. <br></li=
></ul><ul><li>Require hand audits of federal elections in randomly chosen pr=
ecincts.</li></ul><ul><li>Allocate $10 million for <span style=3D"border-bot=
tom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; height: 1em;" id=3D"lw_11=
78855103_12"><span style=3D"border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); curs=
or: pointer; height: 1em;" id=3D"lw_1179143062_12">Iowa</span></span> to pur=
chase paper ballot
 voting systems! The bill allocates $1 billion for new equipment, and each s=
tate gets at least 1% of that amount. Last month the Iowa General Assembly p=
assed <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank" href=3D"http://coolice.legis.sta=
te.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?category=3Dbillinfo&amp;Service=3DBillbook&amp=
;ga=3D82&amp;hbill=3DSF369"><span style=3D"background: transparent none repe=
at scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin=
: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id=3D"lw_11791=
43062_13">Senate File 369</span></a>, which requires counties to gradually r=
eplace all direct-recording touch screens with paper ballots and optical sca=
nners, as the touch screens wear out. The total cost of all counties switchi=
ng to optical scan systems now? At least <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blan=
k" href=3D"http://www3.legis.state.ia.us/fiscalnotes/data/82_1607SVv0_FN.pdf=
"><span id=3D"lw_1178855103_13"><span id=3D"lw_1179143062_14">$9 million.</s=
pan></span></a> <span
 style=3D"font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">$10 million in federal mon=
ey would allow Iowa's counties to convert to paper ballots and optical scan =
by  2008!</span></li></ul><ul><li>Ban connection of any election system to t=
he Internet.</li></ul><ul><li>Eliminate the <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_b=
lank" href=3D"http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=3Dcom_content&amp=
;task=3Dview&amp;id=3D595&amp;Itemid=3D26"><span id=3D"lw_1178855103_14"><sp=
an style=3D"background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-backgrou=
nd-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background=
-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id=3D"lw_1179143062_15">terrible testing syst=
em</span></span></a> in which voting machine companies choose and pay the te=
sting laboratories that sign off on the security of their products. The pres=
ent system has failed to detect a <a rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank"
 href=3D"http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=3Dcom_content&amp;task=
=3Dview&amp;id=3D2435&amp;Itemid=3D26"><span style=3D"background: transparen=
t none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-backgr=
ound-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id=
=3D"lw_1178855103_15"><span style=3D"background: transparent none repeat scr=
oll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz=
-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id=3D"lw_1179143062_=
16">litany of security flaws</span></span></a> in voting equipment. For peop=
le who follow this issue closely, the testing process has been one of&nbsp; =
the most disturbing aspects of the story of American elections in the electr=
onic age.</li></ul>There will be more work to do before 811 becomes law. The=
 fight in the Senate has not begun yet. But with your help, election integri=
ty will soon win a major victory. Thank you for your support in this fight, =
and for everything
 you do for our democracy.<br><br>Best regards,<br>Sean Flaherty<br>Co-Chair=
, Iowans for Voting Integrity<br><a rel=3D"nofollow" target=3D"_blank" href=
=3D"http://www.iowansforvotingintegrity.org/"><span style=3D"background: tra=
nsparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz=
-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initia=
l;" id=3D"lw_1178855103_16"><span style=3D"background: transparent none repe=
at scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin=
: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" id=3D"lw_11791=
43062_17">www.IowansForVotingIntegrity.org</span></span></a>  <p>&#32;
      <hr size=3D1>Need a vacation? <a href=3D"http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=3D=
48256/*http://travel.yahoo.com/;_ylc=3DX3oDMTFhN2hucjlpBF9TAzk3NDA3NTg5BHBvc=
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