Tell your Senators: paper ballots for the 2008 general election...

[Eric J in MN]

...don't wait until 2010.

Support the "Ballot Integrity Act, S.1487" for 2008.

Senator's websites usually have email forms.

Via Crooks and Liars.

[lonestarnot]

1. Thanks and I will.

[stillcool]

2. all done....thanks.n/t

[bonito]

3. Done

2nd time today the aclu emailed me to call them in opposition to any fisa changes before recess.

[Beth in VT]

4. Fooled you - This bill does NOT call for paper ballots.

It calls for "voter verified paper record," e.g. paper trail.

Read the text - it is a glorified excuse for "replacing and retrofitting" DRE machines.

[emlev]

6. thank you!

[kster]

7. The real McCoy

http://www.votersunite.org/takeaction/handcounted.asp

[bonito]

9. Thanks

I did specify paper ballots in my correspondence without mentioning any bill.

[emlev]

10. Thank you.

I wonder in this case whether they'll tally that as a call in support of S.1487 or not. There's so much misunderstanding of this paper trails versus paper ballots issue!

I appreciate your caring about this and willingness to take action.

[emlev]

5. PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE TAKING ANY ACTION

Sorry to yell.

S.1487 doesn't require paper ballots in any year. It talks about paper trails, which are very different from paper ballots. The bill also contains very dangerous language that could be used for mass disenfranchisement of voters of color, poor voters, etc. This is a very bad bill.

Here are two articles to read about it:

Senator Feinstein’s Election Reform Bill Takes Elections Out of the Hands of the People
by Ellen Theisen
Posted on June 10, 2007; last updated June 19, 2007

Senator Dianne Feinstein’s bill S. 1487, “The Ballot Integrity Act of 2007,” was introduced on May 24, 2007. Some were expecting it to be a companion to, and improvement on, Representative Holt’s bill, H.R. 811. Far from an improvement, S. 1487 introduces surprising — and disturbing — new provisions.

The bill systematically dismantles government by the people, and it provides a legal excuse for expanding the disenfranchisement of “distinct communities” such as racial minorities.

What follows is a discussion of these disturbing provisions. More...

and

S.1487: A Deconstruction
By Robert Bancroft, 6/19/07

Introduction
I am not a lawyer, nor a politician. I am neither an anchorman, nor a journalist. My qualifications to write this are few, it would seem. I am, at least, a citizen of this great nation, a citizen who does not appreciate his public servants’ attempts to meddle with our right to vote. It is my modest hope that this, alone, will warrant further reading. More...

[marions ghost]

8. Yes & No

YES-- tell your senators paper ballots for 2008.

NO--DO NOT SUPPORT BALLOT INTEGRITY ACT (Feinstein) S.1487

[Eric J in MN]

11. Update: Voters Unite is critical of the bill.

http://www.votersunite.org/info/s1487Report.asp

http://www.votersunite.org/info/S1487Deconstruction.asp


I already emailed one of my Senators. This bill may be the best we can hope for, but I put links to Voters Unite above and you can decide.

[cosmicdot]

12. how about for the primary elections, too?

why not for all elections starting now?

[Eric J in MN]

14. I put general election in my post because they may not have time...

...to get voting machines ready for the primaries which print paper records.

[stillcool]

13. boy do I feel like a sucker...

I don't know how many times it will take for me to learn that anything this Congress proposes needs to be thoroughly investigated. If I assume the worst, I won't be so disappointed. I still thank you for your post, as it provided another obviously necessary lesson in government affairs.

[Eric J in MN]

15. Is the issue for you when it goes into effect or another aspect of the bill? NT

NT