So, WHAT DO WE DO to keep track of our vote?

[urgk]

We all know that we've been cheated twice out of seeing our Democratically-elected President of the United States take the oath of office. We also know that the companies like Diebold who control the means of voting have strong ties to the Republican party and are anything but transparent to oversight.

With 2 months left until the election, what do we do?

Let's put our heads together to come up with something big -- the Iraqi purple fingerprints, a photo of every Democrat, a MoveOn database with electronically-signed sworn statements of intent to vote for Obama -- something to take the ballots out of the black box and make something we could take to court that make our votes concrete and non-retractable.

So, lawyers, members of the ACLU, closet geniuses, what do we do to make a record of what the people want?

I'm no expert, but I suspect it may have to be --

a. viewable as pure numbers by state and by district on the net
b. anonymous for individuals unless entered as evidence in a court of law
c. capable of documenting all forms of voting -- early, absentee and the official election day

Any thoughts? Solutions?

[rug]

1. I'm taking a picture of the screen with my cell phone.

[urgk]

3. Now that sounds like a start.

Do you have any idea if its legal? I mean are there any laws about recording the machinery in a polling place?

If it is (or maybe even if it isn't), it's a brilliant idea.

It's something a great many of us could do. Have you heard anyone else suggest anything like that?

[rug]

5. I don't see why it would be illegal.

Maybw somebody with tech experience could set up a table near the poll to help voters print them out. We can create our own paper trail. If nothing else it will publicize the bullshit of these paperless ballots.

[gristy]

2. Don't we, like, get a receipt or something?

[urgk]

4. I'm trying to find out how many states require receipts.

And the numbers I've seen are something like 50% of voters. That's not nearly enough.

[gristy]

6. My post regarding receipts was intended to be a joke

Receipts for the voter do nothing for accuracy or accountability of vote counting.

[Orsino]

7. We can't.

Verifiable voting isn't possible with the goddamned machines. Until our Democratic majority in Congress wakes up to discover that they are the party getting screwed, and passes laws mandating transparency, we simply can't be sure we really voted. It's far too late for 2008, and frankly, we wouldn't want Diebold showing up with any last-minute "patches" again, anyway.

I pray that Obama is smart enough to frog-march Congress toward sensible legislation.

I don't object to machines on principle, if an actual ballot (not just a momentary alignment of electrons that is lost forever) is involved. Perhaps a double print-out, one of which the voter drops in a box to be counted by hand?

[crazy_vanilla]

8. this is very serious, I am surprised more people aren't talking

about it