CRITICAL- email Lt. Gov. Herbert and contact Utah County Commissioner

[helderheid]

There was a wonderful piece in the editorial section of the Salt Lake Tribune about HB 1005 and the problems with the legislation. You can read it here:

http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_2681831
Article Last Updated: 4/23/2005 06:17 PM
Paper trail needed

Salt Lake Tribune
In the midst of a fractious special session, with debate over No Child Left Behind or the Salt Palace funding controversy, another bill quietly slipped through with little or no comment from anyone. This bill is of vital importance to all Utah citizens because it will affect how our votes are counted in future elections.
House Bill 1005 supersedes HB211, which was passed in the regular session. (Actually the wrong version of 211 was signed, hence the new bill attempts to correct that error.)
HB211 was an effort to make sure a verifiable paper trail would be required when determining which voting system to use for the state. Now HB1005 would take away the safeguards requiring a voter-verified paper ballot for any equipment purchased between now and 2007, effectively allowing the purchase of previously certified, paperless e-voting systems right now.
We can still have our opinions heard by Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert until April 26. Write to him at [e-mail] and let him know that optical-scan equipment costs less and has a better paper trail to follow in case a recount is needed. It is important we let our elected officials know that we don't want the process slanted by paid lobbyists for the election software companies.
This should be our choice. Contact the Utah elections office today.

Karen Jonas-Sapp
West Valley City

Also today there was an article written that Utah County doesn't want to spend the money on these machines and are looking for any alternative that would still comply with HAVA. THEY WILL LISTEN TO US!

http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=5&sid=200326

Now is the time to contact Utah County Commissioner Jerry Grover and tell him that HAVA only requires one machine (does NOT have to be DRE) per polling place for disabled voters and the punch card machines can remain in place. This would save Utah MILLIONS of dollars and keep our paper ballots!

See: http://www.votersunite.org/MB2.pdf pages 9 and 11:
You can contact him here:
[e-mail]

Here's what I sent to Lt. Gov Herbert and Sherrie Swensen (we have until tomorrow to contact them):

To: [e-mail]; [e-mail]
Subject: comment on voting machines


I read an article about looking for a HAVA compliant alternative to switching to the new expensive voting machines. HAVA requires only one machine per polling place for disabled voters and does not ban the use of the current punch card system. Please see:

http://www.votersunite.org/MB2.pdf pages 9 and 11

If you INSIST on purchasing new machines for the entire state, please choose the optical scan machines. I want the vote on record to be on a paper ballot. I will vote absentee otherwise.

Clarity Sanderson

(phone)

I plan to fax Lt. Gov. Herbert's office next to make sure my letter gets through:

Lt. Governor's Fax [phone]




THANK YOU!

Clarity Sanderson, UDPC Internet Outreach
Utah Democratic Progressive Caucus
Office: 801 485-4076
[e-mail]
http://www.udpc.org
Democratic Action Through Individual Participation