Feinstein

[elepet]

Did anyone who faxed or called or emailed or wrote to Diane Feinstein about the Ohio vote challenge get a response? I heard that she was out sick that day. Is that true? (Did she bring in a note from her mother?)

[Webster Green]

1. I got a response from her.........Here it is...........

Thank you for writing to me about voter confidence in elections. I
appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.

A number of bills, which address the issue of voter confidence,
have been introduced in the 108th Congress. Some bills, such as H.R. 2239
and S. 1980, would require voting machines to produce a permanent paper
record so that voters can check the accuracy of their votes and officials can
conduct a manual audit or recount should either one be necessary. I am
currently reviewing a number of legislative options that have been
proposed to ensure an accurate and reliable voting system. As it became
clear in recent elections, inadequate voting mechanisms can be detrimental
to the integrity of our electoral process.

To address voting concerns, such as voter ballot verification and
others, I supported the AHelp America Vote Act", which became law
December 29, 2002. Among other reforms, the AHelp America Vote Act@
created a new federal Elections Assistance Commission to ensure that all
voting technologies are tested for accuracy and to provide procedures for
decertification of a technology that is subsequently found to be inadequate.
The Commission is also responsible for distributing federal grants to state
electorates for improvement of their electoral processes. States still
maintain control over election administration, but the law introduces a
degree of federal oversight and assistance.

Again, thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to keep me
informed on issues of importance to you. Should you have any further
questions or comments, please feel free to call my Washington, D.C. staff
at [phone].

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

[Dancing_Dave]

2. Pretty good response, really...

Coulda been a hell of a lot worse.
:nopity:

[slackmaster]

3. Yes, but thousands of us have gotten the same canned response

I have written to Senator Feinstein dozens of times and have yet to receive a thoughtful, personal reply. Some of her replies have been so far off subject that it looked like someone on her staff was deliberately trying to embarrass her.

[calimary]

4. I called the local office. Spoke to a staffer and demanded to know

why I did not see her standing with Barbara Boxer, backing Conyers and company. The staffer mumbled some mealy-mouthed excuse about how Feinstein was following John Kerry's advice and diverting her energies to fighting for "longterm election reform." I said that was no excuse, and NOT GOOD ENOUGH. The time to take a REAL stand, and show some backbone, was NOW. Not some day somewhere in the vague, shadowy future when there might be pie in the sky.

[Califooyah Operative]

5. I got one.

Dear Mr. Robert XXXXXXX:
Thank you for writing to me about voter confidence in election. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to respond.
A number of bills, which address the issue voter confidence, have been introduced in the 108th Congress. Some bills, such as H.R. 2239 and S. 1980, would require voting machines to produce a permanent paper record so that voters can check the accuracy of their votes and officials can conduct a manual audit or recount should either one be necessary. I am currently reviewing a number of legislative options that have been proposed to ensure an accurate and reliable voting system. As it became clear in recent elections, inadequate voting mechanisms can be detrimental to the integrity of our electoral process.
To address voting concerns, such as voter ballot verification and others, I supported the "Help America Vote Act", which became law December 19. 2002. Among other reforms the "Help America Vote Act" created a new federal Election Assistance Commission to ensure that all voting technologies are tested for accuracy and to provide procedures for decertification of a technology that is subsequently found to be inadequate. The Commission is also responsible for distributing federal grants to state electorates for improvement of their electoral processes. States still maintain control over election administration, but the law introduces a degree of federal oversight and assistance.
Again thank you for writing. I hope you will continue to keep me informed on issues of importance to you. Should you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to call my Washington, D.C. staff at [phone]
Sincerely
Diane Feinstein
United States Senator