Resolution 2236 in the New York City Council to Keep Lever Voting Machines

[Wilms]

NEW--Resolution 2236 in the New York City Council

We are thrilled with City Council Res. 2236 -- it urges our state and federal officials to take action to keep our lever voting machines. The resolution was introduced by Councilwoman Helen Foster on Oct. 28.
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/ny.html#CCreso2236

The importance of Res. 2236 -- it gives political support to officials at the state and federal level who must take action.

20 counties upstate have already passed such resolutions.
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/ny.html#KeepLeversResolutions

At our Oct. 28 Press Conference to celebrate introduction of Res. 2236, Council Member David Weprin, Chair of the Finance Committee, spoke about the serious financial problems new voting equipment would cause.

Our state budget is worse than predicted in July, and we will continue to lose jobs and essential services.
We can't afford expensive new voting equipment that we don't need, and can't afford to use securely!

Council Members Robert Jackson and Simcha Felder also spoke eloquently at the press conference in support.
Look at our photos, read the statements of support that came from all over NY state and the nation!
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/ny.html#CCreso2236

Contact 3 Council Members to pass Res. 2236:

Please copy and paste the sample letters, add your name and address, print, sign, send in:

Helen Sears
Chair of the Governmental Operations Committee
"Please hold a hearing on Res. 2236, sponsor and support it so it can go to the full council for a vote."
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/HelenSearsOct30_09.htm
Call her office: 718-803-6373

Christine Quinn
Speaker of the City Council
"Please use the power of your office to bring Res. 2236 to a passing vote in the full council."
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/QuinnOct30_09.htm
Call her office: 212-788-7210

Your own Council Member
"Please sponsor Res. 2236 and work for its passage in the full council."
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/MyCM_Oct30_09.htm

Find out who your council member is:
Call the League of Women Voters, 212-725-3541
or go to http://www.lwvnyc.org/TRY_find.html

Look how busy October was!

Three hearings in three weeks!
We gave important testimony for the public record.
Read what we said, look at our photos!

Election Committee hearings -- State Senate
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/ny.html#HearingsSenate

Election Committee hearing -- State Assembly
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/ny.html#HearingAssem

What's next?

The State Board of Elections is still pretending that our economic situation will be okay and that we can afford to secure the new voting technology of paper ballots and scanners (computerized vote-counting machines). Meanwhile upstate, some counties' election budgets have tripled just due to buying and deploying the accessible ballot marking devices for voters with disabilities. They know they can't afford to replace the levers. They can't afford to secure the paper ballots between the election and the audits of the scanners up to 15 days later. They can't afford to audit the scanners to find innocent and malicious errors that could change the outcomes of elections.

The State Board of Elections hopes to finish testing the scanners by December 15, and then give the counties one or two weeks over the holidays to sign purchase contracts. With this schedule, the public will be busy with family and friends, and won't cause problems with protests. So please, protest NOW!

We are still fighting by:

--trying to quickly pass Res. 2236
--giving state legislators our proposed 7-page legislation to properly secure the paper ballots and audit the scanners (let me know if you want to read it)
--hoping to initiate a lawsuit to halt the forward momentum to replace levers.

Your calls to all your elected officials will make the difference!

Who to call, what to say:

http://www.wheresthepaper.org/WhoToCall.pdf
Senator Schumer especially needs to hear from us!

Yours for success,

Teresa

Teresa Hommel

[clear eye]

1. Not an NYC resident, but will call Schumer.

Thanks for posting.

[Bill Bored]

3. Schumer needs to get some regilon on this issue.

He voted AGAINST HAVA, but he's doesn't like lever machines because once every 100 years or so, there's a problem that might affect the outcome of an election. That can be fixed with a re-vote in the affected precinct, and there's legislation in the Assembly that allows the courts to order it.

But the main thing now is to keep the levers because we can't trust the computers and we won't really be relying on the paper ballots because NO ONE wants to hand count enough of them to see who really won and lost elections. And ballot security after an election is always questionable.

So that's what Schumer needs to hear, IMHO, and if you want to organize a campaign, Clear Eye, find a way to do it, because there aren't enough of us doing enough of what needs to be done, even though we know what that is!

[Bill Bored]

2. Nah, let's just lie down and play dead and have "verified voting!"

We won't have any stolen elections in New York, because we have election officials and lawyers who think they're computer experts!

With them in charge, nothing can go wrong...go wrong...go wrong...go wrong...:argh:

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

4. recommend/kicking and hope that this will get blogged n/t

[Bill Bored]

8. Looks like it has!

http://markcrispinmiller.com/2009/11/new-yorkers-help-pass-resolution-2236-to-keep-our-lever-machines/

[quiet.american]

5. Thanks for posting. Bookmarked and will take action. nt

[Bill Bored]

7. Thanks and also see this thread in the ER Forum:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x514419

[Peace Patriot]

6. K&R! This is VERY important! nt