Gov Dean: “I am tired of electronic voting machines we can’t trust”

[kpete]

Dean, activists target evoting honesty in California

Miriam Raftery
Published: Monday July 17, 2006

“We need honesty and openness back in American government …and that means we do not need election workers taking voting machines home,” Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean said at the 3rd annual DemocracyFest at San Diego State University on Saturday, July 15th.

His remarks were met by applause and cheers from the crowd in San Diego State University’s open air theater. “I am tired of electronic voting machines we can’t trust,” added Dean, who also called for equal distribution of voting equipment in African-American districts and other improvements to protect citizens’ voting rights. “All I’m asking the Republicans to do is count every vote!”

San Diego has become a national focal point for election reform following controversy over Registrar Mikel Haas’ decision to allow pollworkers to take home electronic voting machines with programmable memory cards inside for up to two weeks before the election. Hack tests on identical optical scan systems have demonstrated that cards can be rigged in less than a minute; when a hacked card is later placed in a central tabulator, it can change votes for a large geographic area and actually flip the outcome of an entire Congressional district.

more at:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Dean_activists_target_evoting_honesty_in_0717.html

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. So are the rest of us

I love it when Dean speaks plainly.

[goclark]

2. Finally, someone is speaking up

We must come out clear ~ ELECTION MACHINES STEAL VOTES!

[partylessinOhio]

3. We need to restore paper ballots. There is no need to know the count

the same day as the voting when the vote happens in November but the "clown" doesn't take office until January.

There was/is plenty of time to count the votes and recount if there is a question of vote tampering.

Keep on this, DEAN!

[blm]

4. If we had PAPER BALLOTS we wouldn't have to worry about equal distribution

of voting machines, either.

Paper ballots. Electronic voting machines need to be banned.

[Catbird]

12. Distribution is still a problem

Unfortunately with paper ballots you still need to worry about distribution. I have observed elections where certain precincts just didn't get enough paper ballots for everyone to vote because not enough were printed. Guess which precincts those were.

[blm]

13. That's something Dem election board members need to stay on top of.

NO Dem voter and no Dem candidate can do their job for them.

DNC needs to emphasize the duties of the elections board Dems and make them do their job and be TOUGH about it.

[babylonsister]

5. Say it loud and often, Dr. Dean! nt

[mom cat]

18. I also hopes that he backs his words with money and action!

[nealmhughes]

6. I am tired of electronic ballots -- period.

Paper was good enough for Jefferson and Monroe, after all.

I don't care if it takes a week to count the bloody things.

[helderheid]

8. absolutely.

[never_get_over_it]

26. And I'm more than tired

of the band of criminals who took office because of these freak machines - and the vote supression and all the BULL SHIT that has been going on with our elections - Dean should have been saying this long before now - it may well just be too late for this November - and I hope I have never been more wrong about anything in my life, but I am REALLY afraid that we don't have a chance to take back the House or the Senate becuase of this election fraud that we have LET THEM GET AWAY WITH....

[babsbunny]

7. Welcome to the 'light'

Gov. Dean!!! :hi:

[autorank]

9. You are such a great "Dean watcher" on this issue. K&R Thanks!

[gordianot]

10. Dr. Dean is correct, but the GOP needs and uses those machines.

[Dr Fate]

11. He needs to say it on TV rather than just to the choir/donors. n/t

n/t

[tomreedtoon]

21. Are you crazy? Do you think Democrats want to WIN????

Much as Dean has said the right things, he has (as you said) only preached to the choir. Democrats are afraid to show flag-draped coffins, one of the most obvious and clear images of Bush's folly. What makes you think they'll do anything on TV about the much more complex issue of stolen votes?

"Don't be silly! We trust Dubya with your vote!"

[cascadiance]

14. Was there when Dean gave that speech...

It really brought down the house when he called on everyone to "count the votes". You could tell someone advised him that this was the "hot button" issue right before he came on to give the speech. All through his speech, when he mentioned what the Dem's priorities should be, some folks from the audience would yell "and COUNT THE VOTES" in effect to add to that list of priorities, and at least on one occasion he looked up at that person and grinned in agreement. He was definitely getting the message from the crowd there.

Brad was awesome all week. Got to talk to him on a number of occasions. Still a lot of stuff to come in the coming weeks. It really is a "war planning session" going on now behind the scenes folks. Though if you're wondering why Brad might not be on his blog much this coming week and talking more about what happened, he's on a well deserved vacation for his birthday this coming week to take the first break in a couple of years. I say we let him get his batteries recharged so that he can come back full steam next week and go after these bums!

Stay tuned to Link TV. I think there might be some special coverage on the festival soon there. A lot of folks filming stuff throughout the weekend there. I'm hoping they have a clip of Paul Hackett at the end indirectly refering to Bush as a "coke snorter". That's the kind of fire in the belly I want to see!

And folks, Debra Bowen is one smart lady who really knows what she's doing now! I got a chance to ask her about my theory of whether the Bruce Mcpherson software throwing out 26% of new voter registrations on DMV matches (and 46% in L.A.) is linked to the voter fraud of folks being being paid to reregister Dems as Republicans in Orange County, and she gave every indication to me that she had already been thinking about that possibility. We need her in SOS office soon!

Question... Does anyone know if San Diego city attorney Mike Aguirre has any scope of authority to be able to help with filing a suit over these "sleepover" policies for voting machines? Given that at the county level we have just Republicans that continue to ignore the laws, etc., perhaps getting someone like Aguirre involved might help our side be heard.

[Liberty Belle]

25. The "someone" who advised Dean that voting machines is a hot issue in SD

was probably his brother, Jim Dean. Jim met with Brad and had conversations with many of us who are concerned about these machines. I'd talked with Jim way back last summer to advise him about our Registrar breaking election laws by hooking up the tabulator to the internet, sending machines home with pollworkers with memory cards inside, and arresting Jim March for trying to observe the count. Jim attended the election reform panel at DemFest and is absorbing the message that these machines can't be trusted.

[jberryhill]

15. Ummm....

“All I’m asking the Republicans to do is count every vote!”


How about we all count them.

[madfloridian]

16. Wow. Amazed at the overwhelming news coverage of this.

:think:

[Kurovski]

17. K&R

Thanks kpete!

[fordnut]

19. from what hubby told me on Larry King Live

Bush has the voting mmachines rigged.so if Repukes get back in
office we need to march and raise hell.

[babylonsister]

20. Here's the election reform forum for you to check out, fordnut:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=203

We know all kinds of illegal stuff went down in 2004; many on DU are trying to get the system changed and the paperless voting machines outlawed.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

24. Kick

[BeFree]

22. Awww

"He's tired" and he begs “All I’m asking the Republicans to do is count every vote!”

Well, I guess it is a start. But I am thinking it is a little too late and a little too little.

[tomp]

23. is he tired of repub secs of state playing with election law, too?

this is almost too little too late but i'll give him credit for trying.

the democratic party must make election honesty its #1 priority.

statements like dean's, however righteous, do not represent a plan.

[dusty64]

27. At least he

is mentioning this, its a start I guess. Now, what are they gonna DO about it?

[mod mom]

28. HAND COUNTED PAPER BALLOTS, COUNTED AT THE PRECINCT LEVEL W

PUBLIC WITNESS (WITH VIDEOTAPING ALLOWED) OF THE COUNTING PROCEDURE!

Thanks Gov Dean!

[Senator]

29. -- EVERYBODY -- Suggest (demand) that Lou Dobbs put Dean on his show>>

http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?9

It wouldn't hurt to ask that Brad Friedman be asked back for the segment.

The fact that Gov. Dean is alleging election fraud is big news and Lou Dobbs has been tracking this issue.

Let's wave these comments under his nose and see if he responds.

--

[flaminbats]

30. electronic machines are another reason to vote!

staying at home will not bring back paper ballots, blaming Diebold for lost elections will not win votes, and boycotting elections will not save democracy!

Linking this Diebold scandal to the Republicans holding power and for national election reform works. But telling people to stay at home and not vote because of Diebold is the quickest path to political suicide for our party!

[helderheid]

31. HEARINGS TOMORROW IN DC

Wednesday July 19, 2006
Science Committee and House Administration Committee – Joint Hearing
Voting Machines: Will New Standards and Guidelines Prevent Future Problems?
2:00p.m. – 4:00p.m.
2318 Rayburn House Office Building (WEBCAST)
Contact: Republican Staff: Olwen Huxley, 225-8844
Democrat Staff: Mike Quear, 225-6375

[dusty64]

32. Kick!

:kick: