Interesting Video on Legis.

[white cloud]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6X-xtVask&feature=player_embedded

[sonias]

1. Oh that one is from the 2007 session

Yes, Riddle is one of the biggest hypocrites at the Lege. They did introduce a bill to "correct" the practice this past session in 2009. They proposed buying voting machines with thumbprint recognition, putting some in common areas, and in bathrooms around the capitol so little Debbie could vote in the potty too.

The practice is called "ghost voting". They did purchase some machines, then the guy "in charge" of the project Goolsby was defeated, so they are now essentially junk.

Dallas Morning News 4/2/08
Texas lawmaker pushes for end to 'ghost voting'
Fingerprint technology proposed for each House member's desk

AUSTIN – Dallas Rep. Tony Goolsby is pushing for an end to so-called "ghost voting" by Texas House members, asking for their input on a proposal to install fingerprint technology into their desk voting machines.

The change would end the practice of lawmakers voting each other in absentia, a long tradition roundly criticized by open-government advocates.

Mr. Goolsby, a Republican who heads the House Administration Committee that would oversee such a project, said in a letter to House members that the situation needs to be resolved "effectively and permanently." He plans to start holding hearings on implementing what he called a "very significant change" in House procedures.

Austin American Statesman 5/2/09
Machines haunt House after 'ghost voting' flap
New speaker, committee chairman say 11 devices bought last year aren't needed.

For sale, maybe: 11 legislative voting machines, complete with fingerprint-identification technology.

Purchased by: the Texas House of Representatives last year for use in curbing "ghost voting," the practice in which members push each other's voting buttons.

A fingerprint-identification voting machine was installed at the Texas Capitol in November to demonstrate how House members could cast their own 'yes, present-but-not-voting or no' votes when they are away from their desks during the roll call.
(snip)

To some lawmakers, buying the machines seemed like a good idea at the time. They cost $128,000, only a sliver of the $74.7 million budget the House has to run its operations for two years. And they would allow members to cast votes in the chamber from places other than their desks.

But the lawmaker now in charge of the machines said Friday that he sees no reason to ever take them out of the state office building warehouse where they've been stashed since they arrived late last year.

Total sham. The last thing they want is "accountability". They need to be able to deny they voted a particular way sometimes. The Legislature has recorded votes on the 3rd reading of a bill now, but the "real vote" is on the 2nd reading. By the 3rd reading, it's a done deal and members are free to vote their district if they need to save their job.

The 1st and 2nd votes are not recorded. A voting machine like this would probably keep a record - a paper trail - that a lot of them don't want anyway.

:shrug:

Sonia