Open Letter To Senator Edwards On Unconstitutional Nature of SC Voting System

[DaLittle Kitty]

http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_mark_a___080117_an_open_letter_to_se.htm

An Open Letter to Senator John Edwards: The Constitution Prohibits Secret Vote Counting! Will You Take Action?

by Mark A. Adams JD/MBA Page 1 of 2 page(s)

http://www.opednews.com


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Senator Edwards:

I heard your call for eliminating touch screen voting machines. Of course, being from South Carolina you are certainly aware of its use of the notoriously unreliable iVotronic touch screen voting machines. Last Friday afternoon, I looked into South Carolina’s use of these infamous voting machines, and I discovered that it’s PROHIBITED by South Carolina’s Constitution.


Some of the key information from my article "South Carolina Elections Are UNCONSTITUTIONAL!?!" published on Monday January 14, 2008 on OpEdNews.com follows.

Article II, § 1 of the Constitution of South Carolina states, "the ballots shall not be counted in secret." Although there is case law which supports the right to have votes counted in public, this is the election integrity jackpot, a Constitutional provision prohibiting counting votes in secret! No more need to refer to case law, evidence, or logic to argue against secret vote counting, at least in South Carolina.

You have courageously spoken out against touch screen voting. But, in case this is the first time someone else reading this has thought about how votes are counted on computers, they don’t understand that computers count in secret, or they think that fears about votes being counted on computers are unfounded, take a minute and think about three things: (1) How does a computer count votes? (2) Do computers sometimes malfunction? and (3) Do you have any security measures on your computer to protect against hackers?

The last two questions are really easy, but for those of you who haven’t yet thought of how computers count, it’s really simple. Computers count inside their case, with no oversight, just like they are told to do, unless of course, they malfunction or are hacked.
Unfortunately, there is abundant evidence of problems with counting votes on computers from across our country in the last several elections. The corporate media and the government media don’t mention these problems very often, but if you haven’t heard of them or you’re not concerned about allowing votes to be counted in secret, then you’re in the minority, a minority which is either hopelessly clueless or completely power hungry and corrupt.

This is why the vast majority of Americans are worried about election integrity. In fact, a Zogby poll from August of 2006 indicates that 92% of Americans are worried about our votes being counted in secret. See, http://www.zogby.com/templates/printnews.cfm?id=1163

The cat is out of the bag. The people know about these problems, and they are becoming more and more aware of the damage that has resulted from them.

Those few of you who still think that we can trust having our votes counted in secret will be happy to know that your view is shared by many powerful and influential people. For example, Joseph Stalin said, "Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything." If you want to roll back the evolution of civilization from citizen influence over government to a form of feudalism, then you might as well quit reading now.

South Carolina is the best opportunity to make a case against allowing computers to count the votes in secret. I’ve discussed this with two leading election law advocates who have also brought election contests, Paul Lehto and Andi Novick. They both think that this is the best opportunity to act that they have seen. The South Carolina Constitution prohibits secret vote counting! The election reform community EXPECTS one of the Presidential candidates to take action...

Balance of Article available at link... This argument needs to be made by a credible advocate. John Edwards may be that advocate...:)

[EFerrari]

1. Kicking to bookmark.

This is a great topic.

Thanks for posting.

:kick:

[papau]

2. "the ballots shall not be counted in secret." - excellent point

[Vincardog]

3. GReat find, off to the GREATEST with ya

[sinkingfeeling]

4. I thought John Edwards was born in S. Carolina but lived the vast majority of his life in NC.

[Stevepol]

5. Tremendous letter Little Kitty! How can anybody have the slightest confidence

in the vote count when it's done in secret without verification of any kind, in fact, in SC without even the paper that would make it possible to verify the vote by having an audit or recount?

It is totally insane.

Edwards could do himself and the country a monumental service by sueing the state for having an un-auditable election or for holding an illegal election, one clearly contrary to its own Constitution.

Maybe Kucinich can be persuaded to do it?

[K Gardner]

6. I'd love to see JE championing this cause. We'd definitely get something done then ! n/t