Call to Action - Please sign Petition

[CatWoman]

Electronic voting machines in Florida seem to have lost 18,000 votes for Congress—and the race is down to just 369 votes. The only way to recount the votes is to hold another election. Can you sign this petition asking Congress to call for a re-vote in Sarasota, Florida?


Dear MoveOn member,
Electronic voting machines in Florida appear to have flat-out lost 18,000 votes for Congress—votes almost certain to change the outcome of a close House race in Sarasota.1

This election meltdown demonstrates the insanity of paperless voting machines. There's no way to recount the votes short of holding a new election. Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—along with Republican and Democratic leaders—are deciding now if Congress will tolerate this broken election or call for a new one.


The decision could come any day—and once it's made, it's hard to reverse. Can you sign this petition urging Congress to call for a re-vote in Sarasota, Florida and to repair our nation's elections? And then ask your friends and family to do the same.


http://pol.moveon.org/floridaelection/?id=9601-654710-eptrhOdzFtaxPiIprLFtgw&t=2

Here's what the petition says: "In the wake of Florida's electronic voting machine meltdown, Congress should call for a re-vote and repair our nation's elections."

Our voices could make the critical difference. There's precedent for calling a new election and Congress has the authority, but it's a bold step. Pelosi and the Congress need to know that people are behind them.

No matter what party you're for, we can all agree we need to repair our broken voting machines so a recount is possible in a close election. Otherwise, no one will trust our elections. That's why it's so important for us to speak up—and ask our friends, family, and co-workers to join us—as soon as possible. We'll deliver your signature to the new House leadership this week—and the total number of signatures will appear in a full-page New York Times ad that Congress will see next week.

A re-vote in Sarasota will make sure every vote is counted in Florida—and focus the nation's attention on the security weakness of paperless voting machines. Shining a national spotlight on this voting crisis will strengthen calls for repairs to our broken election system, including a voter-verified paper record of every vote cast and manual audits of the vote.

The electronic vote tally puts Democrat Christine Jennings just 369 votes behind Republican Vern Buchanan—and the voting problems happened in a Democratic county, so the 18,000 missing votes would almost certainly change the outcome.2 Of course, some people choose not to vote in certain races. But there's no reason this would be six times more common in Sarasota County than in neighboring counties in the same House district—the only difference between the counties was the electronic voting machines.3

Howard Dean has just declared support for a re-vote.4 But Congress is reluctant to get involved, so we need to make sure they'll do the right thing. The Constitution gives the House of Representatives the authority to call for a re-vote. The House intervened in a similar case as recently as 1985.5 The last re-vote in a congressional election was in 1975.6

Together, we can make sure Congress calls for a re-vote in Florida and repairs our elections nationwide. Sign the petition today at:

http://pol.moveon.org/floridaelection/?id=9601-654710-eptrhOdzFtaxPiIprLFtgw&t=3

Thank you for all you do.

–Noah, Ilyse, Ben, Carrie, Eli, and the whole MoveOn.org Political Action Team
Monday, December 11th, 2006

[wildbilln864]

1. done and...

recommended!