Act Now For Paper Ballots in Iowa (blogforiowa.com)

[Khaotic]

Act Now For Paper Ballots in Iowa
by Jerry Depew, Laurens, Iowa
Iowa Voters for Open and Transparent Election

County auditors throughout Iowa have spent a pile of money for new voting machines that take the state deeper into the shadow of paperless voting. Seventy counties now will “record” at least part of their votes in a way that many voters distrust, on touchscreen computers with no paper printout for the voter to verify. See map: http://www.sos.state.ia.us/pdfs/elections/hava/VotingSystemCoMap.pdf

Before the Help America Vote Act provided all this money, only 15 counties used paperless computers.

This shadow grew despite a raging national controversy during the time these machines were being purchased. It happened because the auditors blocked SF 351, a bill requiring a paper ballot. It happened despite a call from the Secretary of State for the bill’s passage, a plea from voters at HAVA hearings last spring, and a joint letter from the Secretary and the Governor backing paper ballot trails. It happened despite independent reports from the General Accounting Office, the Congressional Research Service and the Carter-Baker Commission questioning computer security and recommending paper records.

Earlier this week VotetrustUSA.org offered Iowans an easy-to-use email program for asking our state legislature to pass the bill we need, SF 351.

Go to: http://www.congressweb.com/cweb4/index.cfm?orgcode=VTUSA&hotissue=10

Please take this action. Make the sun shine on Iowa’s ballots.

[pstans]

1. I emailed my Rep today

I had already talked to him about this over the summer, but thought I would email him anyway, so that he would have an official record.

He told me that there was 1 Republican named Mary? Gaskill from Des Moines who is holding this up. She is a VP at Principal and is a candidate for Lt. Governor on the Rethug ticket. She is the chair of the committee responsible for letting this come to the floor for a vote. My Rep. said if it came to the floor it would pass.

And welcome to DU Khaotic.

[9119495]

2. Please don't flame, but didn't Culver set up the standards for

the paperless voting? I know Secretaries of State were given significant control over the standards. Can't he fix this in his current role?

[pstans]

3. Culver backed the legislation

but I don't think he could force the counties to do this.

[Debi]

4. I thought Culver backed verified ballots....

portion of a November 2005 email from the SOS office on the same site as above:

<snip>

As you doubtless are aware, our office is in the latter stages of implementation of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), which requires upgrades in voting systems. You also are aware that county auditors are in the process of selecting new voting equipment. In some cases, auditors have selected touch-screen systems. Our office maintains compliance with HAVA when it comes to the certification process for new voting equipment and has produced guidelines similar to those referenced in the GAO report you reference. We have consistently advocated for a voter verified paper trail in Iowa and do not intend to change that position. The people of Iowa need to be certain their votes count.

<snip>

[9119495]

6. Thanks, This helps.

This is one of my pet issues.

[CornField]

5. Yeah! I'm so glad to hear someone besides me making noise about this

There are only two groups who oppose the legislation which would provide for verifiable paper trails: 1) House Republican Leadership and 2) County officials. Every other group who made a comment about the legislation wanted to see it approved. (List includes League of Women Voters, AARP, unions, and more)

[Cairycat]

7. my rep said it was Libby Jacobs (R- Polk County)

who was holding this up and not letting it be debated. (Mary Gaskill is a Democrat on the committee from Wapello County.)

Have either of these representatives stated publicly what their objections to this bill are? Of course there's been little/no media attention to the issue, but it would be great if those holding this up were made to defend their position. Both my rep and senator have done their part in trying to get this debated, but I'm afraid unless there's a spotlight put on it, it will be swept under the rug. (Not that state politics get much notice; the Waterloo Courier prints whatever spouting Rants does and that's about it.)

Beyond writing our representatives and senators, what can the average DUer in the street do? I have come to believe that this is one of the most important issues before the party and certainly would like to help move this paper-trail verified voting forward.

[CornField]

8. Money

47 out of 99 counties (last May) have stated their intentions are to purchase this type of voting machine. The republicans I've spoken with on this issue (and I admit it has only been 5-6 of them) have hummed and hahhed about the extra expense involved to add a paper trail to those machines. When I remind them that this legislation was passed in the Senate and move to the House BEFORE the county officials had made such an announcement, they don't have much of an answer. "Well, hindsight is 20-20..." or "The past doesn't change the situation we have right now..." or "No matter what systems they chose, it would be an added expense for it to produce a paper trail..." and so on.

My representative has done everything short of calling me insane. "Nothing will happen on this issue until the Democratic Party takes back state government. As long as Republicans remain in leadership, such legislation will be stalled."

Here's what bugs me about that statement: SF 351 passed UNANIMOUSLY in the equally split Senate. Either the republicans there knew it would/could be stalled in the Iowa House and voted aye to move on to other things -or- not all republicans feel the same about verifiable paper trails on voting machines. I'm awaiting an answer from my Iowa Senator (a republican) to get a better take on it. She's always been candid with me in the past and I'm hoping that will continue.

[newyawker99]

12. Hi Cairycat!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[CornField]

9. Printable/Downloadable Info Flyer on SF 351

I posted this previously, but it goes well in this thread too. The flyer outlines the history of SF 351, explains why DREs are not good for Iowa voters, gives a list of the Reps on the House Subcommittee and issues a call to action.

I made the flyer, but I provide it without reservation. Distribute it, use it to make your own, pass it along as is... Do whatever you want to do with it in order to get the message out.

Here's a link: http://community.marion.ia.us/sf351/flyer.pdf

[rurallib]

10. I have repeatedly email my rep on this

He is a regressive. His claim is that when the money had to be spent, paper trail capabilities were not available. This is bullshit since my county got machines with paper trails. His cover is that when the new machines need replacements, then those should be paper trail capable.

[Debi]

11. What? Right after Governor Nussle is re-elected? n/t