VITAL: CA DUers -- e-mail or call NOW to support paper trail!

[maggrwaggr]

Just got this from moveon.org. If it's a dupe, I apologize, this is EXTRMELEY IMPORTANT. Even if you're not from California, feel free to support this issue by calling or e-mailing as they suggest.


Dear MoveOn member in California,

California's top elections official will decide in the next few days
whether or not to require that the voting machines we'll use to choose
our next president produce a Voter Verified Paper Trail.

Many counties in California have introduced electronic voting
terminals. When these systems malfunction, there is no way to do a
meaningful recount.

The terminals should let us verify, on paper, that our votes are
recorded correctly, and the paper ballots should be saved so they can
be re-counted.

In the next few days, Secretary of State Kevin Shelley will decide
whether to decertify all voting terminals that don't offer such a
Voter Verified Paper Trail.

Please call or e-mail the Secretary of State's office:

Call: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]

Say that you support the de-certification of paperless electronic
voting terminals in California elections.

The only exception should be limited, provisional use of the
terminals in counties that can't provide accessible balloting for
voters with disabilities.

Please let us know you're calling or emailing, at:

http://www.moveon.org/callmade7.html

Electronic voting terminals can make it easier for people to vote,
especially people with disabilities, and they should have the option
of using them until there's a better solution.

But problems with electronic voting disenfranchised too many voters
during the March 2, 2004 election. In Alameda County, one out of four
polling places had problems with Diebold card encoders; in San Diego
County, it was nearly 40 percent. Thousands of Orange County voters
were given the wrong electronic ballots; many were unable to cast
votes in contests for which they were eligible, while others were
allowed to vote in districts in which they did not reside.

And these are only the problems we know about for sure. According to
the Secretary of State's own report, Diebold installed uncertified
software in all 17 counties where its terminals are used.

The solution is common sense: Electronic voting terminals
should print paper ballots that we can verify ourselves, and that
public officials can count and recount if necessary.

Last week, more than 13,000 people urged the Secretary of State's
voting systems panel to keep paperless voting terminals out of
California elections, and the panel listened. Its members voted
unanimously to de-certify one line of these terminals. Now the panel
and the Secretary of State will decide whether to de-certify the rest
of them.

Our votes are the foundation of our democracy. Elections, especially
this November's presidential election, are too important to be left to
electronic systems that can't be audited.

Thanks for making this call or sending this e-mail today.

Sincerely,

-- Peter Schurman
MoveOn.org
Wednesday, April 28th, 2004

P.S.: For more information on this issue, see:

http://www.verifiedvoting.org and
http://www.calvoter.org

[Melodybe]

1. Done, thanks 4 posting, they seem surprised that a gal from MS was calling

[AP]

2. Check your inbox

[ParanoidPat]

3. Call them all especially your local county officials.....

.....they are the ones who make the decisions for your county. :evilgrin:
While you're at it contact the California State Attorney General's Office and ask that they pursue legal action against Diebold for fraud.

Do it for Bob! :) (Hi Bob! :hi: )

CALIFORNIA

Secretary of State - Kevin Shelly

California Secretary of State
1500 11th Street
Sacramento, California 95814

Phone: [phone]

Elections Division

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
TDD: 1 800 833 8683 (No Charge to Calling Party)
Vote Fraud Hotline: [phone] VOTE (8683) Recorded
E-Mail: [e-mail]
Contact: http://www.ss.ca.gov/cgi-bin/print_form.cgi

Elections Division Home
County Elections Supervisors
State Election Code
Voter Registration Information
Voter Registration Form - English
Voter Registration Form - Spanish
Absentee Voting Information
Absentee Ballot Application - English
Absentee Ballot Application - Spanish
Absentee Ballot Application - Tagalog
Absentee Ballot Application - Japanese
Absentee Ballot Application - Chinese
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/Outreach/absentee/links/VT_absentee_ge2004.pdf">Absentee Ballot Application - Vietnamese
Absentee Ballot Application - Korean
Voting Equipment Page
Election Results Page (Historical)

Contact The California Office of the Attorney General

PUBLIC INQUIRY UNIT

The Attorney General's Public Inquiry Unit seeks to assist you in answering questions on a wide variety of issues ranging from consumer fraud to public safety. It is generally a clearinghouse for consumer complaints and requests for information.

You can contact the Public Inquiry Unit at [phone] or, within California, by calling [phone].

MAILING ADDRESS

California Department of Justice
Public Inquiry Unit
P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550

[SemperEadem]

4. Done

you might want to post this in the California State forums.

[hunter]

5. I think it's just fine here in GD...

This needs to be heard nationwide.

Secretary of State Kevin Shelley is standing in a very pivotal position right now. His decision will reverberate loudly throughout the United States.

[Robbien]

6. I called from Chicago, and they said my vote counts

I told them I wanted to register my vote against certification and asked if my voted counted since I was not in the state. She said yes it did and took my name and city. I asked if they are getting a big response against the e-voting system. She said yes, a very big response from all over the world.

So, wherever you are, call and vote. Please.

[maggrwaggr]

9. from all over the world?! Really?!

wow.

[Robbien]

12. She said all over the world. I would have asked more but the phones were

ringing busily in the background and she needed to go. But yes, all over the world she said.

[mike1963]

7. Important, so a little

:kick:

[shance]

8. Thanks for posting Mag - just called and was busy - GOOD sign

I will keep calling until I get through and I will email as well.

[maggrwaggr]

10. an afternoon kick

:kick:

[ParanoidPat]

11. A kick for Bob!

:kick:

[maggrwaggr]

13. and okay, yet another kick

:kick:

[Eric J in MN]

14. It's nice that MoveOn is getting involved. I hope that

It's nice that MoveOn is getting involved.

I hope that someday soon, MoveOn emails all its members to the House of Representatives to support "The Voter Confidence Act."

More information on calling Congresspersons for "The Voter Confidence Act" is here:

http://www.moveleft.com/moveleft_voter_conf_act_cosponsor_house_of_rep.html

[Greyskye]

15. Called.

with a :kick:

Important stuff, folks! This will take you no more than 30 seconds. A polite staffer picked up the phone on the first ring, took down my comments, and that was it. Do it now!