Protesters demand security in elections (Tallahassee, FL)

[seafan]

Protesters demand security in elections

By Jeff Burlew
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

April 19, 2006

Advocates for fair elections gathered Tuesday at the Capitol to press legislators to support bills that would require paper trails and election audits before voters go to the polls this year.

Frederick Simmons, a political science student at Florida A&M University, went to the rally after seeing a flier on campus. He said he's worried that his vote isn't protected.

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Leon County Supervisor of Elections Ion Sancho participated in the event along with People for the American Way and the Florida Fair Elections Coalition. The rally attracted a few dozen people. Using the theme, "Don't Gamble with Our Vote," they said Nevada does a better job of protecting gamblers than Florida does protecting voters.

"A vote for president should be at least as secure as a 25-cent bet in Las Vegas," Sancho said, quoting a New York Times editorial.

snip

Susan Pynchon, director of the Fair Elections Coalition, said Florida is in a voting crisis.
"We vote on secret software," she said. "Our elections are run by private voting machine vendors. Our supervisors of elections are afraid to speak up regarding systems that many of them know to be faulty."

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http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060419/NEWS01/604190332/1010/NEWS01

[WhiteTara]

1. Our Elections Supervisor is speaking

at our spring conf and I wish I knew exactly how to ask the questions. I'm not sure what to ask and this is our best opportunity to make sure. Any suggestions?

[seafan]

2. I would ask whether a large coalition of county elections supervisors

plans to drive to Tallahassee to see the Secretary of State, Ms. Cobb, to demand paper and pen voting, hand-counted, as a certified voting method for every county in the state of Florida.

There is simply no way to assure the voters of Florida that their votes will be cast, tallied and reported accurately if electronic/electromechanical systems are used. Certainly not in this environment of corrupt, Republican-owned voting machines.

Elections supervisors have clout, backed up by their own county's voters. If 67 County Supervisors show up at Ms. Cobb's office, she will capitulate.



All it would take is one or two buses to gather everyone up for the trip.


If these Supervisors want petitions from their voters, to bring to Tallahassee, we can do that.

I would bet Ion Sancho would be in the front seat of the bus.



The bottom line is that people have to take a stand NOW, against this theft of our rights in our nation. Are our 67 county elections supervisors ready to do it for their voters?? I surely hope they will.

[WhiteTara]

3. except I live in California

and I don't think she would go for it.

[seafan]

4. I couldn't tell from your profile about your location, but this type of

question certainly deserves an answer from all of our election officials.

Even if the Sec of State is outwardly not receptive, this type of public action by voters will be noticed, and motivate more regular folks to take action.

Good luck at your meeting!