From Dayton's office (hearing on paper trails for voting machines)

[Dickie Flatt]

Dayton’s Request for Senate Hearing Agreed to; Committee Will Explore Requiring Paper Trail of All Ballots Cast on Electronic Voting Machines

http://dayton.senate.gov/news/details.cfm?id=238843&&

Today, U.S. Senator Mark Dayton, a Member of the Senate Rules Committee, received an affirmative response to his request that the Committee hold a hearing into requiring electronic voting machines to print receipts of all ballots cast. The receipts would help to eliminate discrepancies in vote tabulations, which were reported during the 2000 and 2004 Presidential elections. The hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday, June 21st, at 10:00 a.m., EST.

During 2005, all the nation’s states and counties will receive $1 billion in federal funding to purchase new voting machines and equipment. Dayton introduced an amendment earlier this year to the campaign finance bill that would have required receipts and would have reduced voter error, by enabling voters to print and verify their ballots before casting them. Dayton’s amendment, which did not pass, would have required states and counties to purchase systems that provide voter-verified paper ballots and receipts.

“When I was a State Auditor, I learned the necessity of keeping backup documents and creating a paper trail,” said Dayton. “Without paper backup copies, there is potential for massive fraud if somebody were to break into an electronic system and alter the numbers after votes had been cast. It would be impossible to go back and determine what the actual vote tally should have been.

“I was happy to learn that the Senate will hold this hearing focused on protecting the integrity of our elections.”

Earlier this year, the Minnesota Legislature unanimously approved legislation to require voter verification of paper ballots in elections involving federal officials, Constitutional officers, and the State Legislature. In addition, Minnesota state law requires a random review of 80 precincts – approximately two percent of statewide precincts – for tabulating accuracy and substantive and technical errors in elections.

[Demrock6]

1. Dayton rules.

This is great news. Perhaps it should get posted in the 2004 elections area as well.

I wonder what Dayton is going to be doing when he is out of the senate.

[loveable liberal]

2. Probably take a nice hot shower.....

I think Dayton is great, but he's too decent to stay in politics.