Why my republican congressman is AGAINST a paper trail...

[Zeebo]

Early after the election I wrote my senators and congressman at my shock that we have voting systems with no paper trail. (Yes, I was ignorant to that fact until 11/2). I recommended that we need to have a verifiable paper receipt that a voter has the option of taking with them from the polling place. In addition there should be a secured database at the county level, whereby voters could access their vote by putting in a code, or voter number. I could not believe that any American could be against a paper trail. I received a response from Congressman Henry Hyde:


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Dear XXXXXXXXXX:

Thank you for your letter and your intriguing suggestions.

I am not in favor of legislation that would create a paper trail of
anyone's vote, and here's why. Voting is a private matter, and
there should not be any paper trail of who voted for whom. I could
imagine a scenario of a spouse demanding to see another spouse's
vote receipt, or worse yet, a union boss using the voting receipt to
threaten those who do not vote the way the union wants a person to
vote. Just think about how many similar receipts, ie., ATM and
banking receipts, are crumpled up and left in wastebaskets for
anyone to see. I, for one, would not want anyone knowing the way
I voted, nor would I want there to be a risk of anyone knowing
how someone else votes.

Your suggestion about requiring county election commissions to
create a database of votes also is intriguing, but unfortunately,
unrealistic. Our Constitution guarantees that each state sets its
own voting practices and thus sets its own penalties for violating
such practices and procedures. In most states, tampering with
ballot boxes or ballots themselves is already a felony.

I do agree, however, that it would be better if all of the states, if not
a majority of the states, would use the same balloting procedures.
Uniformity of these procedures would make it easier to prevent
fraud and also to count election results. However, again, the
Constitution prevents the federal government from mandating such
procedures.

Again, I thank you for your insight on this issue.




Very Truly Yours,

Henry J. Hyde

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Suffice it to say, I was amazed that they did have reasons for NOT wanting a paper trail.

The point is that people like Hyde and Tom Delay will be using points like "privacy intrusion" to gather support from their constituents. We need to expose the arguments of anyone who is against a paper trail. Does anyone know what additional arguments the other side is using to defend the stance that we should NOT have a paper trail?

[Coexist]

1. A paper trail doesn't have to have your info on it

just who you voted for ... duh.

[tsuki]

2. Ask Senator Egger (DeLay) if he would bank at an institution that did not

have a paper trail for the ATM.

[FreakinDJ]

6. We should all write the creep and ask him

[FreakinDJ]

3. Pure horse crap E-voting is rigged and they want it that way

They know it is for them and favors them

[mattclearing]

4. Yes, the other one is the "pay to vote" rationale.

If you give out receipts, people will go cash them in with the people who bribed them to vote.

While any change to the system involves problems, I think this is kind of ridiculous. The next logical step in the process would be to look at the states that have required receipts, and demonstrate that this is a bunch of hypothetical nonsense, or make doing that kind of nonsense a federal felony.

[Chipper Chat]

5. Yes, your vote should be private -

just like your social security number, your phone conversations, your emails, your religious beliefs, your bank balance, your bedroom escapades, what you eat, drink, and smoke, etc:
Gosh Henry - imagine the scenario of even your spouse finding all of this out!

[FreakinDJ]

8. ever heard of Bar codes

Gezzz

Why didn't i think of that

[crispini]

7. He's right.

We don't want a paper TRAIL. We want a paper BALLOT.

[flpoljunkie]

9. What a load of crap from Henry "youthful indescretion" Hyde!

He obviously has no respect for the intelligence of his constituents, or he would not try to peddle such obvious piffle.

Not only do we need a voter-verified paper trail, it must not be an add-on to a DRE, we need mandatory, random audits in every county in America because we can never be sure the computer software has not been compromised.

And, of course, equal access to voting machines, in every city in the country. No more voter suppression, blatant or subtle. Shame on our media for not decrying the ongoing and rampant voter suppression in 2004!

[Zeebo]

15. I agree random audits is a great idea also. Just the fact that...

republicans are blocking attempts to put in place these kind of measures really makes the "fraud" radar go off. I'm trying to look further into why Hassert and Delay absolutely refused and blocked the provision of HAVA that would require a paper trail. What were their reasons for this???? On the surface it sounds very sinister. (knowing what we know now)

[me b zola]

19. Peddling obvious piffle has obviously worked for them

Their responses to the electoral vote is testament to that.

Nothing to see here, Keef, move-on.:mad:

[murielm99]

10. We Illinoisans need to target this asshole.

I think he can be defeated.

[SharonRB]

11. The paper wouldn't have to have your name on it

It just needs to be a record of a vote placed for someone, not who placed the vote.

[RoeBear]

12. At least he responded...

...and with something more than a form letter.

[Oversea Visitor]

13. Do you feel safe

Without the paper trail. Can you ever be certain that you vote was counted or your vote was not tamper with.

[BamaBecky]

14. What a load of horse manure!!!!! petty scare tatics !!!! n/t

[Sperk]

16. It doesn't get any more idiotic than that.....YOU DONT TAKE

THE RECIEPT WITH YOU!!! THERE IS NO PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION ON THE RECEIPT. They know it....they're lying...they're stealing and they want to keep it that way.

Watch them change their tunes if the Dems ever controlled the machines.

These people are EVIL!!!!

[me b zola]

20. Surely you jest

Idiotic.

Lying.

Stealing.

The Republican Party?? Ya think?


GOP=Gigantic, opportunistic, pigs!

[AllegroRondo]

17. He's blowing smoke

He's confusing two different kinds of paper trails.

There is the paper trail he describes, which is a receipt given to the voter to take home, and is a bad idea.
Then, there is the paper trail of a hard physical copy of your actual vote kept by the polling stations, which can be anonymous, kept indefinitely, and re-counted in public view.

Ideally, we can use electronic voting as a means for a first count. BUT - these terminals should also give a permanent anonymous receipt which can be kept by the board of elections and can be counted by hand if needed.

[roenyc]

18. hmm, well i thought he was going to say

It was a waste of trees and would clutter the environment and just make more waste.

no this was much more original. yes, i never told my X husband who i was a votin for he might put a hurtin on me.

nothing is going to get done! this is why they all needed to stand.


privacy intrusion. hmm, how come there is no problem when it comes to terror? and we need to take privacy away? then all kinds of things are open to the view.

[suziedemocrat]

21. He's an idiot!! The paper receipt stays in the machine!

You just are able to view the paper receipt before it rolls up.

[KaliTracy]

22. it's not a paper trail -- it's a paper ballot that goes into a sealed box

n/t