"...[W]e recognize when the same message comes from vendor representatives and election officials."

[Wilms]

Election Officials and Election Activists

By Warren Stewart, VoteTrustUSA
October 29, 2006

At a public hearing of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) last week, I was was asked by Commissioner Donetta Davidson what advice I would give to election officials to help counteract the growing crisis of confidence in the election process. I offered some initial suggestions and agreed to provide an expanded list. Many election officials have adopted some or all of these suggestions already and they are to be commended.

1. Audit. Fourteen states will be conducting random hand counted audits of their electronic voting machines this November. This is the single most powerful action that a state election administrator could take to demonstrate their commitment to accuracy and security. Citizen concern about electronic voting machines is not only motivated by fear of hacking or tampering – there have been dozens of cases of ballot programming errors that have affected election results.

Conducting a publicly-observed manual hand count of a meaningful percentage of paper records is a win-win proposition. If the audit shows that the electronic tallies were accurate, then voters are reassured. If the audit uncovers irregularities, then further audits should be undertaken and the cause of the irregularities should be investigated. Either way, you have established that your top priority is the accuracy of the election results.

snip

4. Avoid using voting industry talking points. Election integrity activists read the manufacturers’ press releases and marketing materials and we recognize when the same message comes from vendor representatives and election officials. You were elected or appointed to serve the citizens of your state, not to act as a public relations representative for the voting machine manufacturers and their products that you have spent taxpayer money to purchase.

snip

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1940&Itemid=26

[NVMojo]

1. the NV SOS who is now running for Congress was pictured touting

his joy the day after the 04 Presidential elections with the new Sequoias he had purchased for 50% of the state with HAVA money. It was obscene leghumping for an elected official to be doing.

[w4rma]

6. Aren't those machines maintained by President Chavez?

:sarcasm:

[Stevepol]

2. Amen, Amen, and Amen. Highest K&R!!!!!!!

[Melissa G]

3. K&R! they need to get a CLUE! n/t

[bleever]

4. Damn right.

K&R.

[EFerrari]

5. K&R

[Amaryllis]

7. Go, Warren !!!! Love the part about avoiding industry talking points. :)