Just Sign It

[Wilms]

Tell Congress: Pass H.R. 550 for Voter Verified Paper Records

The "Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act" (H.R. 550) may be the most important bill your Representative could co-sponsor this year.

H.R. 550 is the "gold standard" of voter verifiability legislation, incorporating not only a requirement for voter-verified paper records but also mandatory manual audits to confirm that voting machines are working properly.

A voter-verified paper record (VVPR) is the "bottom line" without which we cannot have reliable elections. But the voter-verified paper record must be audited too. Although more than half the states have now made VVPR an official requirement, many states still do not have adequate audit requirements. H.R.550 provides that minimum standard.

The bill also has increased security requirements, prohibits undisclosed software, and more. It continues to gain momentum, with 156 Republican and Democrat co-sponsors to date, but more co-sponsors are needed. VerifiedVoting.org supports H.R. 550 in the strongest possible terms, and we urge its immediate passage.

snip/petition

http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/vevo/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=1353

BradBlog Thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x401988

Recommend it.

[KalicoKitty]

1. Signed it!

:dem:

[Oceansaway]

2. Thank you, Thank you !!!

[Wilms]

3. You're welcome. But really, it was Holt! n/t

:)

[UDenver20]

4. Signed... kick

[Land Shark]

5. Although, by forcing disclosure of source code HR 550

may well hand vendors a nice (in their mind) cause of action for a "regulatory taking" of their trade secret property (and trade secrets are definitely a property interest). I also don't like Holt all that much because it presupposes computers will count votes and doesn't question that at all.

[Wilms]

8. My hit on it has been different.

I think of Holt as a stop-gap measure.

There are tens and tens of thousands of DRE's already deployed. His bill attempts to treat that reality.

Also, HAVA is the elephant in the room. (One of them, anyhow.)

[kster]

12. Yes, but the silence is deafening !

We have a GAO report that hasn't even had a second of air time on corporate news. In order to get it right, it has to be out on Television in the news papers, for all to see. Majority of Americans don't even know there was a problem, thats not the way you solve things in America.

[Land Shark]

17. Just be careful the "reality" we compromise with doesn't control

So the reward to the vendors, via Holt for stealing our democracy is to reward them with yet another windfall vai a lawsuit for "taking" their source code, and to institutionalize computers in elections.

Careful what you ask for, it could be deadly. Sometimes, such as if your two children are taken as slaves, you don't compromise with "reality" and let them take just one.

the vendors in some ways are really reaping a harvest here. They are bold, while activists acquiesce with "reality" and endorse the status quo, with a few modifications as their reward for endless work. (and that work is motivated by a vision of a voting system far different than what is being lobbied for).

Holt could "work" in the sense of imposing such costs on vendors that the whole "elephantine" system collapses, but I take it that is not the direct purpose of Holt.

[Wilms]

19. My guess is his purpose is to deal with the DRE's which are, yet, legal.

Perhaps enhancing laws about them would crush the argument for banning them. I hadn't considered. My fall back has been OpScan, but only as "given the choice between a DRE and...".

CA seems to be requiring Diebold to hand over source code. Might that trigger a suit?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x401851

[Land Shark]

23. My approach is that DREs are, and always have been, quite illegal

How in the world do we think they could institute DREs and make our elections unreal and remove checks and balances without violation of EXISTING law?

Enough to make the contracts signed to purchase DREs void:
www.votersunite.org/info/lehtolawsuit.asp

[kster]

6. Florida,Ohio and Georgia

must go back to paper ballots hand counted for the next 5 election cycles to win back the trust and to remain part of the United States of America.

Diebold,ES&S,Sequia and any other companies that want to sell voting equipment in America must immediately, Put "an open-source operating system available on the Internet" and published in all the news papers.

http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,61045,00.html

Think we can sneak this in to the bill?

[Wilms]

9. You should email that article to Holt.

And PM LandShark, too.

Heck! Make it a thread, Kster!

Very cool article.

"If a voting system precludes any notion of a meaningful recount, is cloaked in secrecy and controlled by individuals with conflicts of interest, why would anyone buy it?," Quinn said. "At the very least give citizens the right to choose whether they want to use paper ballots ... thus allowing each elector to be personally satisfied as to the integrity of the process in which they are participating."

Aussies Do It Right: E-Voting
http://www.wired.com/news/ebiz/0,1272,61045,00.html

[Land Shark]

18. Wish holt luck but if this was the end of the road it would be a NIGHTMARE

My own judgment is that legislative "solutions" are unlikely to be productive AT ALL even with bipartisan sponsors because of the extremely high likelihood of poison pill amendments at the end of the process, which abuse the momentum created by public advocacy for the "Holt" bill, which becomes at best a vestige of its former self at the last second. (and, its former self contains some serious potential drawbacks of institutionalizing computers and perhaps giving vendors a big fat lawsuit for a takings clause violation).

Instead, my own personal answer is to void the contracts for the DREs in place, and there's no reason to believe that this can't be accomplished. In fact, I'm very hopeful we will succeed. Someday Soon.

[babylonsister]

7. Signed and rec'd! nt

[NMDemDist2]

10. done and kicked n/t

[feelthebreeze]

11. Nicely done Wilms, signed and passed...

Also voted "greatest" to pump up the interest

[skipos]

13. done.

[stillcool]

14. signed...

although i'm thinking i've already done this. I seem to recall two bills being offered and Holt's was the one recommended... i'm confused.

[Gronk Groks]

15. Done and Kicked...

...but are we too late to save Democracy in America???

[hwmnbn]

16. Done....

and thanks for posting this info.

[Laurab]

20. Done K & R Thanks! n/t

[KaryninMiami]

21. Done and forwarded..

[Patsy Stone]

22. Done

Thanks!

[lady lib]

24. Done.

[WeHoldTheseTruths]

25. Current list of co-sponsors

Thank the co-sponsors and urge the rest to support it.

H.R. 550
http://thomas.loc.gov/

COSPONSORS(159), ALPHABETICAL

Rep Abercrombie, Neil - 2/2/2005
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. - 3/2/2005
Rep Allen, Thomas H. - 2/2/2005
Rep Andrews, Robert E. - 11/18/2005
Rep Baird, Brian - 2/2/2005
Rep Baldwin, Tammy - 2/2/2005
Rep Barrow, John - 9/6/2005
Rep Becerra, Xavier - 2/9/2005
Rep Berkley, Shelley - 4/5/2005
Rep Berman, Howard L. - 2/2/2005
Rep Berry, Marion - 3/17/2005
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. - 2/16/2005
Rep Bishop, Timothy H. - 2/16/2005
Rep Blumenauer, Earl - 2/10/2005
Rep Bono, Mary - 9/28/2005
Rep Boucher, Rick - 4/5/2005
Rep Boyd, Allen - 3/2/2005
Rep Brady, Robert A. - 4/20/2005
Rep Brown, Corrine - 2/16/2005
Rep Brown, Sherrod - 2/9/2005
Rep Butterfield, G. K. - 3/17/2005
Rep Capps, Lois - 2/2/2005
Rep Cardin, Benjamin L. - 9/27/2005
Rep Cardoza, Dennis A. - 6/24/2005
Rep Carnahan, Russ - 9/13/2005
Rep Carson, Julia - 2/16/2005
Rep Case, Ed - 2/2/2005
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy - 2/2/2005
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel - 9/13/2005
Rep Cole, Tom - 2/2/2005
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. - 2/2/2005
Rep Cooper, Jim - 2/2/2005
Rep Crowley, Joseph - 2/16/2005
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. - 2/9/2005
Rep Davis, Danny K. - 3/2/2005
Rep Davis, Jim - 3/2/2005
Rep Davis, Susan A. - 4/20/2005
Rep Davis, Tom - 2/2/2005
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. - 2/2/2005
Rep DeGette, Diana - 3/2/2005
Rep Delahunt, William D. - 2/16/2005
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. - 3/10/2005
Rep Dicks, Norman D. - 2/2/2005
Rep Dingell, John D. - 3/17/2005
Rep Doggett, Lloyd - 2/16/2005
Rep Doyle, Michael F. - 2/16/2005
Rep Emanuel, Rahm - 2/16/2005
Rep Engel, Eliot L. - 4/5/2005
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. - 2/2/2005
Rep Etheridge, Bob - 2/16/2005
Rep Evans, Lane - 11/18/2005
Rep Farr, Sam - 2/2/2005
Rep Filner, Bob - 2/2/2005
Rep Fitzpatrick, Michael G. - 6/24/2005
Rep Ford, Harold E., Jr. - 3/10/2005
Rep Frank, Barney - 2/9/2005
Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. - 9/28/2005
Rep Gordon, Bart - 4/5/2005
Rep Green, Gene - 6/24/2005
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. - 2/16/2005
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. - 2/16/2005
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. - 2/2/2005
Rep Higgins, Brian - 2/9/2005
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. - 2/2/2005
Rep Honda, Michael M. - 2/9/2005
Rep Hooley, Darlene - 2/16/2005
Rep Inslee, Jay - 2/16/2005
Rep Israel, Steve - 4/5/2005
Rep Issa, Darrell E. - 9/6/2005
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. - 4/5/2005
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila - 3/2/2005
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice - 2/16/2005
Rep Jones, Stephanie Tubbs - 2/2/2005
Rep Kanjorski, Paul E. - 5/11/2005
Rep Kaptur, Marcy - 2/2/2005
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. - 5/26/2005
Rep Kildee, Dale E. - 2/9/2005
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. - 2/2/2005
Rep Kind, Ron - 2/2/2005
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. - 2/2/2005
Rep Kuhl, John R. "Randy", Jr. - 6/24/2005
Rep Lantos, Tom - 2/2/2005
Rep Larsen, Rick - 2/9/2005
Rep Lee, Barbara - 2/2/2005
Rep Levin, Sander M. - 7/13/2005
Rep Lewis, John - 2/9/2005
Rep Lowey, Nita M. - 3/2/2005
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. - 2/2/2005
Rep Markey, Edward J. - 4/5/2005
Rep Matheson, Jim - 2/9/2005
Rep McCarthy, Carolyn - 2/9/2005
Rep McCollum, Betty - 2/9/2005
Rep McDermott, Jim - 2/2/2005
Rep McGovern, James P. - 2/2/2005
Rep McKinney, Cynthia A. - 2/2/2005
Rep McNulty, Michael R. - 3/2/2005
Rep Meehan, Martin T. - 9/6/2005
Rep Meek, Kendrick B. - 3/2/2005
Rep Menendez, Robert - 9/13/2005
Rep Michaud, Michael H. - 2/9/2005
Rep Miller, Brad - 7/21/2005
Rep Miller, George - 2/9/2005
Rep Mollohan, Alan B. - 2/2/2005
Rep Moore, Dennis - 2/2/2005
Rep Moore, Gwen - 9/6/2005
Rep Moran, James P. - 2/2/2005
Rep Murtha, John P. - 2/16/2005
Rep Nadler, Jerrold - 2/2/2005
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. - 2/9/2005
Rep Neal, Richard E. - 9/13/2005
Rep Oberstar, James L. - 2/2/2005
Rep Obey, David R. - 2/2/2005
Rep Olver, John W. - 2/16/2005
Rep Owens, Major R. - 2/9/2005
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. - 2/9/2005
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. - 2/2/2005
Rep Pastor, Ed - 2/16/2005
Rep Payne, Donald M. - 2/2/2005
Rep Petri, Thomas E. - 2/9/2005
Rep Price, David E. - 2/2/2005
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II - 2/16/2005
Rep Ramstad, Jim - 9/6/2005
Rep Rangel, Charles B. - 2/16/2005
Rep Ross, Mike - 2/9/2005
Rep Rothman, Steven R. - 3/2/2005
Rep Ryan, Tim - 2/9/2005
Rep Sabo, Martin Olav - 2/2/2005
Rep Salazar, John T. - 6/24/2005
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. - 2/9/2005
Rep Sanchez, Loretta - 2/2/2005
Rep Sanders, Bernard - 2/9/2005
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. - 2/2/2005
Rep Schiff, Adam B. - 2/2/2005
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. - 6/24/2005
Rep Scott, Robert C. - 2/2/2005
Rep Serrano, Jose E. - 2/9/2005
Rep Sherman, Brad - 2/2/2005
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh - 5/5/2005
Rep Smith, Adam - 4/5/2005
Rep Snyder, Vic - 2/16/2005
Rep Solis, Hilda L. - 2/9/2005
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete - 4/5/2005
Rep Stupak, Bart - 3/10/2005
Rep Taylor, Gene - 11/18/2005
Rep Thompson, Mike - 2/16/2005
Rep Tierney, John F. - 2/9/2005
Rep Towns, Edolphus - 2/16/2005
Rep Udall, Mark - 2/9/2005
Rep Udall, Tom - 3/2/2005
Rep Van Hollen, Chris - 2/2/2005
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. - 7/13/2005
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie - 2/9/2005
Rep Watson, Diane E. - 3/10/2005
Rep Waxman, Henry A. - 2/2/2005
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. - 4/5/2005
Rep Wexler, Robert - 2/2/2005
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. - 2/2/2005
Rep Wu, David - 2/2/2005
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell - 2/9/2005

[freedomfries]

26. H.R. 550 is a carefully written piece of legislation

Please take a few minutes to scan through the 10-pg.-long text:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?c109:./temp/~c109lZERPt
One of the bill's chief purposes seems to educate Congress about the dangers of e-voting as currently in place across the country. That, along with Holt's letter to House members about the GAO report is already a big accomplishment.
Check the bill's key sections:
Sec. 2 (A) (2) voter-verification AND audit capacity
(B) manual audit capacity
Sec. 247 (8) prohibition of use of undisclosed software in voting systems
(9) prohibition of use of wireless communications devices in voting systems
(11) security standards
(12) prohibiting connection of system or transmission of system information over the Internet
Sec. 5 IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE (a) (1) and (2) mandatory, random, unannounced hand counts of the voter-verified records no later than 24 hours after vote counts announced
Yes, LandShark, any bill can be amended down to oblivion, but the message of H. R. 550 is pretty hard to spin around.
Thanks We Hold These Truths for the current list of 159 sponsors. Let's get some more and give HR550 a Committee hearing!

[dennisnyc]

27. watch you local election boards too!

The battles are also playing out on the state and local levels, we all need to keep up with this issue!

[UrbScotty]

28. I just signed it (nt)

[il_lilac]

29. done

Thank you for posting!

[Vektor]

30. Signed, and kicked!

[cyberpj]

31. Signed and sent. nt. KICK!

[FredStembottom]

32. Here's the cranky message I sent with my signature........

I am writing to ask you to co-sponsor the "Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act" (H.R. 550).

This Act is the minimum standard required to see to it that our democracy continues.

With the current trend towards "black-box" unverifiable voting it is just a matter of time before the myriad ways these machines can be hacked is applied to YOU and your next race for office. Nevermind which party you belong to. Even if the machines have not been hacked so far - they will be and that kind of information - the knowledge of how to do it - will NOT be exclusive to one party or the other.

Let each American verify his or her own vote with the time-tested benefits of a paper record.

Skip the part where, sometime in the future, you suspect that computer hackers have used the vulnerabilities of unverifiable "black-box" voting against you and your re-election. Stop that future near-certainty NOW by co-sponsoring this bill today.

If this act does not pass we progress to a type of Mutual Assured Destruction as a vote-hacking frenzy ensues. In that case no one wins. Quite literally.

Support H.R. 550 - or watch the machinery of democracy come apart in your hands.

Thank You.

[fearnobush]

33. Done!!!!

[Time for change]

34. Done -- thank you n/t

[annabanana]

35. done & kickety....................... . n/t

[Independent_Liberal]

36. Done!