California Watchers: Name that state senator, please.

[Wilms]

The article is from May of 2004. Does anyone know who the state senator was, in addition to Don Perata, pushing to ban e-voting in the Nov 2004 election.

Oh, and, Conny McCormack's comments are as if from a cartoon.


The Los Angeles Times

California Blocks Digital Voting

The elections chief puts touch-screen and other systems on hold and calls for an investigation of a manufacturer. Registrars are surprised.

By Stuart Pfeifer
Times Staff Writer

May 1, 2004

snip

For some, however, Shelley's action was not enough. Two state senators vowed Friday to move forward with a bill that would ban all electronic voting in the state in November.

"Until there is a complete ban for November, we're going to continue to move the bill," said state Sen. Don Perata (D-Oakland). "Nothing short of a ban will guarantee the public confidence and the integrity of the system."

snip

http://www.yuricareport.com/VotingProblems/CalifBlocksDigitalVoting.html

[BlueCaliDem]

1. I don't know. I *do* know that Diebold's been recertified by Ahhhnold's...

...Republican SoS, Bruce McPherson despite the many reports proving the machines are faulty.

I guess Schwarzeneggar really does want a second term, huh?

Anyhow, I also know Debra Bowen of the State Legislature is running for McPherson's seat.

For more info go to her official site at:

www.DebraBowen.com

[EFerrari]

2. I don't know, Wilms. In 5/2004, I didn't know from Diebold. n/t

[nicknameless]

3. I did.

Before Gray left office, I called a couple of times and pleaded on the phone to Michael, whose last name I can't recall now (he was an assistant to Shelley), to please dump the machines before it was too late. He said they were needed for the disabled.

So now the disabled can take part in our electoral farce and have their votes stolen too. What an advancement.

:eyes:

[nicknameless]

4. Looks to have been Sen. Ross Johnson. There was a bi-partisan effort back

then (in the good old days) to dump the DREs. I imagine that there were more Senators opposing the dreaded machines than just Perata and Johnson, but they provided the bipartisan face for the request.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/03/12/BAG1P5IKJ523.DTL

As far as the accuracy of the article's details go, who knows, since it was in the prevaricating SF Chronicle.

[Wilms]

7. Thank you, Nick.

That is an interesting article.

I guess that while the TSx was banned for 2K4, there might have been some Sequoia used. If I get time, it might be interesting where the bill went.

Perata was concerned enough then, but I haven't heard her question the current doings. Is she keeping her cards close to the vest, or was she told to?

[nicknameless]

8. Perata is a guy. Don Perata. He represents parts of Alameda County.

I'm not sure what he's up to. He's on the Rules Committee, as is Bowen.

[Amaryllis]

5. Conny:

"I think it's a tremendous blow to voter confidence," McCormack said. "The voters love the equipment. It's been proven to be the most accurate. Now, what are they going to think around the country … when they read the secretary of state in the largest state said there's a problem with the equipment?"

[Amaryllis]

6. How would things be different if Lockyer had followed through instead

of leaving SHelley hanging out to dry?

Shelley, the state's top elections official, also called on California Atty. Gen. Bill Lockyer to investigate the company that made the equipment in those counties, Diebold Election Systems, for allegedly lying to state officials.

In his announcement Friday, Shelley reserved his harshest words for Diebold, which he said lied to his staff while obtaining conditional approval for its machines earlier this year.

The company, the state's leading manufacturer of touch-screen voting machines, had told the state it was nearing federal approval for AccuVote-TSx when it was nowhere close to gaining that approval, Shelley said. The secretary of state said that action amounted to fraud, and he sent a letter Friday asking Lockyer to open a criminal and civil probe of the company.

"They broke the law. Their conduct was absolutely reprehensible. Their conduct should never be tolerated from anyone doing business again with the state of California," Shelley said.

The company, which last week apologized for using software for its machines in Alameda County that had not been approved by the state, issued a statement contending that it had been "open and forthcoming in its dealings with the office of the secretary of state, as well as with local California elections officials, and disputes the secretary of state's accusations."

Guess Shelley just made it up, huh?
Here is the SOS report on the Diebold Investigation:

§ http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ks_dre_papers/diebold_report_april20_final.pdf

[nicknameless]

9. That was just one of Lockyer's betrayals of Californians.

He also voted for Ahhnold.

:grr: