New York State Senate Standing Committee on Elections - Notice of Public Hearing - 11/12/09

[Wilms]

NEW YORK STATE SENATE
Notice of Public Hearing

New York State Senate Standing Committee on Elections

Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.
Chair

Senator Martin Malave Dilan Senator Thomas W. Libous
Senator Jose M. Serrano Senator Joseph A. Griffo
Senator Brian X. Foley Senator Thomas P. Morahan

SUBJECT: To address oversight of the 2009 elections, the pilot program for the use of optical scan voting machines, and proposals to address runoff elections and instantaneous runoff voting.

November 12, 2009
6pm to 9pm
250 Broadway
19th Floor
New York, NY 10007

November 30, 2009
1pm to 4pm
Capitol 124
Albany, NY 12207

The purpose of the hearings in New York City on November 12, and Albany on November 30, is to address oversight of the 2009 elections and the pilot program for the use of optical scan voting machines, and seek public comment on the following bills:

• S3584 Authorizes the use of instantaneous runoff voting on a trial basis in primary and general elections at the option of local governments for a period of three years.

• S3589 Authorizes the State Board of Elections to establish a pilot program using instantaneous runoff voting for up to ten local governments in 2010 and 2011 with the approval of the local governments.

• S6248 Repeals the provisions of the election law that provide for runoff primary elections in New York City and elsewhere, and those in the Administrative Code of the City of New York that provide for runoff voting and its financing.

The goal of these public hearings is to seek comment about how our electoral system is functioning and ways in which it can be improved. The November hearings in New York City and Albany are the fifth in a series that began in April and continued in May, June and October, which are dedicated to increasing awareness about election policy and voting. During the 2009 session the Elections Committee held hearings focusing on different issues: voter registration; voting/casting a ballot and poll sites; and campaign finance reform.

And, in October, the hearings focused on new voting systems, ballot access, deceptive practices and voter intimidation.

This dialogue between lawmakers and the public is part of the Senate’s commitment to beginning a robust committee process, and development of sound public policy through open dialogue and an overall transparent legislative procedure.

Persons who wish to testify should so indicate on the reply form. The Elections Committee will accommodate as many witnesses as possible.

The Committee also encourages the submission of written testimony; which will be considered by the Committee and made part of its record. Written testimony may be e-mailed as an attachment in any common format to the Elections Committee to Allison Kelrick at: [e-mail].

Persons wishing to attend or testify at this hearing should complete and return the reply form as soon as possible, but no later than November 9, for the hearing in New York City or November 26, for the hearing in Albany.

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Questions about this hearing may be directed to: [e-mail].

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(.pdf): http://www.wheresthepaper.org/ElectionsHearingNov12and30_09.pdf

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

1. the argument has to be made

that if you ditch Levers, it has to be an improvement. Is this the improvement worthy of NY?
Thats the argument. IMHO.

[Bill Bored]

2. Some are claiming it's an improvement but with no evidence to support them.

Crappy 3% hand counts, no right to a full recount, no way to ensure the chain of custody of the paper ballots, and it will cost a bloody FORTUNE!

Essential public services are being cut so we can fork over more money to e-voting vendors and not know who won our elections on top of it.

Yet some still say this is "better" than lever machines.

[emlev]

3. Please attend if you can

Tell the committee that the optical scan voting systems, which count votes in secret, are unconstitutional. These machines must not be certified. Make sure they know about the findings in these articles by Richard Hayes Phillips, Ph.D. (who investigated the Ohio 2004 presidential election):

Impossible Numbers Certified in NY-23

First the Impossible, Now the Improbable, in NY-23.

If you can't attend, please submit written testimony.