From my congressman re: polling paper trail

[The Blue Flower]

Thank you for sharing your concerns about the accuracy of the recent elections. I thought our country had learned during the vote fiasco of 2000 that every vote counts. Washington State seems to take this seriously, but it appears that some states still do not.

I appreciate your interest in Congressman Conyers' forum addressing election irregularities in Ohio. Although I was on my way back to Seattle on the day of the forum, December 8, C-SPAN broadcast the forum, and I was able to watch much of the proceedings on television. The stories of election confusion and suppression shared at the hearing were disturbing and deserve immediate investigative attention. I am encouraged by the efforts of the panelists to ensure that all votes are counted. I agree with Mr. Conyers statement that "it is good know that we have citizens in Ohio who have not given up."

Elected officials serve at the will of the people. Presidential electors are no different. It is vital that their votes accurately reflect the will of the people.

As state officials, the media, and citizens continue to review the recent election, valid questions have been raised about how balloting was carried out in several states. These concerns have been fueled, in part, by valid skepticism about voting machinery. Unfortunately, reports of ballot systems confusion, racial discrimination and voter intimidation have now been compounded by computer problems.

I believe we must make electronic voting machines accurate and tamper proof. These new computerized systems were initially seen as an effective answer to antiquated and confusing ballots such as the infamous "butterfly" design, as well as providing better options for disabled voters. In 2002 Congress passed the "Help America Vote Act" (HAVA), offering financial assistance to states for purchase of new computerized voting machines. However, elections officials have found that navigating this new market is very complicated, and many jurisdictions purchased computers that are vulnerable to tampering or otherwise unreliable.

Worse yet, most of these new machines do not even offer a paper trail. Without an actual paper ballot, elections officials are left with only the computer's "word" for election results and recounts are virtually impossible. Computer experts, voting experts and voters' rights groups see several potential dangers inherent in this paperless system: machines malfunction; engineers and programmers make mistakes; operators make errors.

Despite the guarantees from the makers of these machines, we have now seen numerous documented cases of irregularities with electronic voting machines. There may have been many others that no one knows about, or ever will know about.

This is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 2239, the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act, which amends HAVA to require a voter-verified paper record of all votes cast in federal elections. While states may hold elections as they see fit, every citizen has the right to have his or her vote counted accurately and the federal government can and should enforce that right with regard to federal elections.

I also fully support the recent Congressional request for a Government Accountability Office investigation into reports of irregularities with voting machines used in November's elections. It is my hope that the results of this investigation will give jurisdictions guidance on how to safely use these new machines and to restore citizens' confidence in the accuracy elections, and will provide impetus for further federal legislation that may be needed.

As the use of electronic voting machines grows, I will continue to demand verifiable paper tails to confirm accurate and secure elections. I appreciate you taking time to share your views with me.
Sincerely,
Jim McDermott
Member of Congress