Kerry Campaign Sends Out E-mails About Ohio Voting Irregularities

[InfoMinister]

Nice to see that he's taking a moderate approach to this and isn't resporting to the conspiracies. Maybe he can actually get something done that everyone can agree with across party lines. Sorry if someone else already posted this. Has DU posted this on the front page yet?:

"No American citizen should wake up the morning after the election and worry their vote wasn't counted. No citizen should be denied at the polls if they are eligible to vote. And, as the greatest, wealthiest nation on earth, our citizens should never be forced to vote on old, unaccountable and non transparent voting machines from companies controlled by partisan activists.

Tomorrow, members of Congress will meet to certify the results of the 2004 presidential election. I will not be taking part in a formal protest of the Ohio Electors.

Despite widespread reports of irregularities, questionable practices by some election officials and instances of lawful voters being denied the right to vote, our legal teams on the ground have found no evidence that would change the outcome of the election.

But, that does not mean we should abandon our commitment to addressing those problems that happened in Ohio. We must act today to make sure they never happen again.

I urge you to join me in using this occasion to highlight our demand that Congress commit itself this year to reforming the electoral system. A Presidential election is a national federal election but we have different standards in different states for casting and counting votes. We need a national federal standard to solve the problems that occurred in the 2004 election. I will propose legislation to help achieve this.

Florida 2000 was a wake up call. But the Republicans who control Congress ignored it. Will they now ignore what happened in 2004?

There are nearly 3,000,000 of you receiving this email. We accomplished so much together during the campaign. Now let's use our power to make sure that at least one good thing comes from the voting rights problems of the 2004 election. If we want to force real action on election reform, we've got to demand that congressional leaders hold full hearings. Make sure they hear from you and help hold them accountable.

Speaker Dennis Hastert: 1-202-225-0600
Leader Bill Frist: 1-202-224-3135

And please report that you've made your call right here:
http://www.johnkerry.com/signup/electoral_reform.php

I want every vote counted because Americans have to know that the votes they stood in line for, fought for, and strived so hard to cast in an election, are counted. We must make sure there are no questions or doubts in future elections. It's critical to our democracy that we investigate and act to prevent voting irregularities and voter intimidation across the country. We can't stand still as Congressional leaders seek to sweep well-founded voter concerns under the rug.

Please join with me in calling Speaker Hastert and Leader Frist and telling them that you want action on election reform now.

A recent report from Representative John Conyers (D-Michigan) reveals very troubling questions that have not yet been answered by Ohio election officials. I commend the Democratic National Committee for its announcement this week that the DNC will be investing resources and reaching out to non-partisan academics in a long term study of Ohio voting irregularities. I am only sorry that we haven't seen the same from Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell and GOP officials.

Congress must play a positive, proactive role on this issue. That's why I will soon introduce legislation to reform our election system, ensuring transparency and accountability in our voting system and that all Americans have an opportunity to vote and have their vote counted.

Please remember to let us know that you made your call when you're done. We're hoping to ensure House and Senate leaders' offices hear our demand for action on election reform in meaningful way. Please take a moment to let us know you have made your call here: http://www.johnkerry.com/signup/electoral_reform.php

Thank you,

John Kerry

P.S. Thanks to all those who participated in our USO "phone home" campaign last week. The totals are coming in from the USO, and they are thrilled with your generosity and support for our brave men and women in uniform. We will send you totals as we get them."

[metisnation]

1. moderate

I think as the candidate you have to be hands off. If the people want him let them speak. Call you Senators asap.

[GregD]

2. Are you freaking kidding me?

<<<Nice to see that he's taking a moderate approach to this and isn't resporting to the conspiracies.>>>

I'm sorry, but the Voting Irregularities of 2004 are not conspiracies. They are facts. They are documented in the form of videos and months of media clippings that covered a range of of issues from the group in Nevada and Oregon that destroyed Dem voter registrations; to a reduced number of voting machines in areas that were likely to sway Dem; to flagrant rule changes concerning paper weight for voter registration; to abusive definition of procedures for the acceptance of provisional ballots.

I could easily continue the list. Kerry is NOT taking a moderate approach, and I think your post (and apparent view of what happened in the election, or what should be the outcome) is foolish.

[InfoMinister]

3. How Is It Foolish To Want Reforms To A Flawed System

The voting machines are flawed. I don't necessarily think that they were rigged as you think they were but I do think a lot of them have flawed security, and flawed programming. I've read pretty much all of the information you've probably read and I don't entirely buy into the conspiracy stuff like you have about the electronic voting machines. Some stories about ballot tampering and registration are true and there were even stories about Democrats doing it as well.

[GregD]

6. I still remember that day, in late November 2003.

It was the Florida Dem Convention. I had been webmaster for www.verifiedvoting.org for the past 6 months. It was an intense period; time was passing quickly.

For the first time, after many months of campaigning, all of the assembled candidates for president made statements about paperless e-voting on that one day. Kerry looked into the camera and made bold statements about the greatest army of lawyers that would climb down Diebold's throat and protect our votes.

I remember too when I spoke to Ellen, a bona fide member of the leadership of the opposition to this failed election. She had just spoken to one of Kerry's top lawyers. It was a couple weeks before the election. He did not know the first thing about the concerns of computer scientists, programmers and security people. Not the conspiracy stuff, not the flawed shitty code, not the absence of security, none of it.

Read my post. I didn't say a damn thing about conspiracies which you mention. The machines are flawed at the most fundamental level. The election was flawed as a result of 1000 cuts, many of which had nothing to do with the mechanics of the machines. Kerry did nothing to protect us from a flawed election, conceded too soon, and is now walking away.

He has no respect left with me, I'd never support him again in the future, and I dispute the notion that his is a "moderate approach".

Give me a freaking break!

[InfoMinister]

7. I Also Said That They Are Flawed

So I guess we're in agreement somewhat with that. The problem is how do we fix it? What ideas do you have besides Kerry's plan? How can we convince a Republican majority to reform the system?

Instead of bickering with each other over this we need to figure out what to do. Posting articles and all of this stuff isn't doing anything and we have to formulate a plan on what exactly to do instead of going around calling people stupid and being condescending to others.

[12 12 2000]

4. Right! In Hastert and Frist We Trust!

What planet do you and Kerry live on??? Oh yeah, that mushy, weak-kneed, collaborative, corporatist/militarist one called today's Democratic Party.

[InfoMinister]

5. Hence Why We're Not Getting Anywhere And Our Electoral System Is Fucked

If you didn't notice the Republican party is the majority now. In order to get anything done you're going to have to reach across party lines. When the next four years come along and we get a majority it'll be our time to get elected again and accomplish what we want on our terms. If you're unwilling to do that then nothing is going to change with the electoral system.

[InfoMinister]

8. I Want To Know What You Plan On Doing

What is your plan to fix the voting system? If you have a better idea then spit it out.