BBV--don't forget caucus platform resolutions.

[eridani]

Feedback welcome--put something like this on the table at caucuses and/or party conventions.

End Black Box Voting

WHEREAS analysis by computer security experts has shown that proprietary voting systems used in the US are far below even the most minimal security standards applicable in other contexts. For example instances of unauthorized privilege escalation, incorrect use of cryptography, vulnerabilities to network threats, and poor software development processes. For example, common voters, without any insider privileges, can cast unlimited votes without being detected by any mechanisms within the voting terminal using the Diebold GEMS system, for just one instance;

AND WHEREAS some voting machine manufacturers are intimately tied to vested interests, including the owners of voting machine testing labs, active politicians and their principal fundraisers, corporate lobbyists, former CIA directors, and people who have been involved in prosecutions for bribery, kickbacks, and fraud;

AND WHEREAS there has been a sudden rise of inaccurate exit polls within the last six years in the US (after a half-century of fine-tuning to such a science that it's often used to verify how clean elections are in Third World countries) occurring around the same time corporate-programmed, computer-controlled, modem-capable voting machines began recording and tabulating ballots.

AND WHEREAS the facts that the computers that handle our ballots are not open, their software and programming is not available for public scrutiny, and there is no way for a voter to verify that the ballot selections stored in computer memory are the actual ballot selections made by that voter constitute a direct assault on the very nature of democracy;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT by 2004 all voting machines must produce an actual paper record that voters can view at the time when they cast their votes to check the accuracy of their votes, and that election officials can use to verify votes in the event of a computer malfunction, hacking, or other irregularity. Computer security experts refer to this paper record as a "voter-verified paper ballot."

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that proprietary systems will be made illegal, and these machines and their software will be available to inspection by government auditors, candidates and their representatives, and interested members of the public.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the voter-verified paper ballot tally will be the legal ballot tally in the event of inconsistent results obtained when the ballots are tallied by computer, and that random audits of 2% of votes cast will be a legal requirement.

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if cash registers at supermarkets and ATM machines print paper records of transactions that there should be no technical reason why our ballot systems cannot also produce a paper record that can be verified. If the price of a carton of milk is worth recording, surely our votes are.

[DU9598]

1. Printed it off and taking it with me on Monday

THANK YOU for the reminder.

[bluestateguy]

2. Attn: Texas Democrats

Texas has a caucus too, on the night of March 9th, after the primary election that day. The caucus 25% of the delegates, and caucus goers may adopt resolutions.

[nofurylike]

3. excellent. thank you. printing.

any way to send this to someplace like the U.N asking for international monitors, or something?

it's getting scary as the time flies and this isn't being resolved.

thanks for the work of this - passing it on.

peace

[eridani]

4. Send it everywhere

And remember that Greens, Libertarians and Republicans have conventions too.

The UN thing might be worth looking into. I'll bring it up on blackboxvoting.org. You might consider advocating it there as well.