BBV: Graham Introduces Legislation To Ensure America's Votes Count

[GregD]

OK BBV'ers - here we go - a companion bill in the Senate. 
None of us (VV.org) have looked at it closely yet, so I can't
comment on it at this time.

Assume that the efforts we have all made the past few months
to enlist support for HR2239 will need to be applied to this
bill.

We are already establishing a Senate database in
VerifiedVoting.org, and will have it up in the next few days.

And since we put the call out for you to research the holiday
recess schedule for your Congressmen, figure we need to do the
same for our Senators now, and to go see them and push for
support.


press release -- 

http://www.senate.gov/~graham/pr120903.html

For information call: 202-224-3041
Graham Introduces Legislation To Ensure America's Votes Count 

December 9, 2003
Senator Bob Graham, D-Florida, today introduced the Voter
Verification Act, legislation that would require computer
voting systems to produce a paper record.

"After the election of 2000 and the mid-term election -
where stories of voter problems were not uncommon - we have to
put an electoral system into place in which Americans can have
full confidence," said Graham. "This legislation
will take us one step further to ensure that every vote really
counts and we do not have another debacle like the 2000
election."

Key provisions of the legislation include:
- Requiring that all voting systems produce voter-verified
paper records for use in manual audits 
- Banning the use of undisclosed software and wireless
communication devices in voting systems 
- Requiring mandatory surprise recounts in .5 percent of both
domestic and overseas jurisdictions.
- All voting systems would have to meet these requirements in
time for the November 2004 election.

There is bi-partisan companion legislation already filed in
the House. HR 2239 is sponsored by Representative Rush Holt,
Democrat of New Jersey, and 94 other members.

Graham's bill will be referred to the Senate Governmental
Affairs Committee.

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. kick

*

[ithacan]

2. Recounts in only one-half of a percent of jurisdictions??!!!

that seems pretty insignificant. A bill that passed in the NY State Assembly called for 2 percent audit. Seems like you'd want even somewhat higher than that.

Why such a low audit number?

[GregD]

4. Anyone a statistician here?

I met the guy who runs www.votewatch.us last month. He tells me that it takes a fairly small percentage, statistically, to nail any problems.

Who can quote some "real world" figures as to what sort of sampling statisticians are comfortable with?

[mndemocrat_29]

3. Any idea what the bill number is?

So we can all start writing to our senators to cosponsor this?