Cox, Stephens back paper vote receipts

[Cookie wookie]

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 09/20/05

A move to outfit Georgia's electronic voting machines with a voter-verified paper receipt took a leap toward reality Tuesday when two key state leaders on opposite sides of the political spectrum announced support for such a project.

Secretary of State Cathy Cox — who until Tuesday had opposed legislative efforts to retrofit Georgia's 28,000 voting machines with a printer capable of producing paper evidence of a cast ballot — announced her office is working to implement the so-called voter-verified paper audit trail.

Just minutes after Cox's announcement, Sen. Bill Stephens (R-Canton) held a news conference, planned last week, where he told reporters that he will seek legislation to eventually move Georgia toward paper receipts by the 2008 presidential election.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/0905/20papervote.html

[Alizaryn]

1. Ok, what do they have up their sleeves?

[Cookie wookie]

2. Weeeeeeeelllllll let's see

Bill Stephens, hmmmm. There are republicans in GA who want voter verified paper "receipts" or whatever they call it depending on what level of knowledge they have of the issue. Stephens is running for SOS so he'll rule voting. So, he'll play along to keep any dissidents happy as far as the machines go until he gets elected. he was planning to make the speech last week, but Cox beat him to it (Clever Girl). For Stephens and the repugs, after all, the machines were put in by Cox and the Democrats, so naturally the repubs voters are suspicious even though they've had an absolutely bonanza of a windfall in Ga elections since the machines came. My guess, he doesn't have any intention of making the system secure for real democratic elections, what are we crazy? He's the daddy for the voter ID law that was passed last session (he's majority leader of the Senate). All one has to do is look at his website to see the slime oozing (starting with: http://www.billstephens.com/default.asp?pt=newsdescr&RI=77).

As for Cox, just speculating, is that what this is about is she's had a defining moment that woke her up. At least I hope the clouds have parted and she's seen the light.

Fact: Diebold doesn't need her anymore and unless she does something to see that the election is independently auditible (and she can say she's doing it so WE"LL have confidence), she may just lose her race for governor even if she gets the votes. Why would Diebold help her out now? She can't blackmail them because she'd have to reveal her role in hiding the flaws in the system. She has no leverage. They will have a Republican governor and if the race with Stephens is close enough to rig without detection, they'll have a Republican SOS (which gives them the keys to the candy store). The Democrats aren't running what I see as a viable candidate for SOS, in terms of someone with the education, experience, and knowledge for the job, although she is a nice person and I'll vote for her if there is no other dem candidate. They remind me of reverse freepers. They will do whatever the "party" leaders say do even if it means the death of the whole democratic party in Georgia for our lifetime, but they are too stupid to see it. I say this with the exception of Georgia's Democratic Black Caucus, who are the only Dem legislators in Georgia who seem to have any sense at all -- even though they won't go against the leadership either.

Another factor that might have put some pressure on Cox is that there are a couple of activists who've been getting the word out about their research which is damning for Cox and on top of that a certain Randy Evans, a lawyer for Newt Gingrich, has been dogging Cox's every step, bringing up some of the little dirty secrets in contract amendments. This happened this week at the State Election Board hearings, where the guy just wouldn't shut up. We may have lost ground on transparency because of him, because he's the attack dog going after Cox but doesn't care any more than * and company about democratic elections.

[Boredtodeath]

3. Note from Roxanne to me on Stephens

Here's the Cathy Cox smackdown in the article:

Stephens' legislation would create a pilot project for paper receipts in three counties: Cobb, Columbia (near Augusta) and Cox's native Decatur (in South Georgia).

Do you suspect Diebold/Stephens intends to make sure Cox loses the Governor's race? Maybe?

If you ask me, that's an admission that Stephens knows the machines are riggable.

Sadly, Bill Stephens is MY state Senator. During the last legislative session when I asked him to sponsor (AGAIN - he was co-sponsor of SB-500) our Vote Count Protection Act, he refused. When I asked him if he would prefer to solve the problems legislatively or wait until the scandal hit the news, Stephens said "I'll take the scandal."

Roxanne