Crispini posted this on the Texas Forum. We in Texas are voting today so I thought it would be good to post this here in case anyone else was going to their precinct meeting tonight wherever they were voting. This seemed like a good resolution to spread around. Any changes?
Texas thread by Velma D here...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=180x27643A RESOLUTION
IN SUPPORT OF H.R.2239 AND S.1980
WHEREAS the Help America Vote Act of 2002 began a rush by states to purchase new voting technology, and
WHEREAS computer-based systems are subject to errors, breakdowns, and design flaws; computer based systems inherently cannot be secured to the extent required to protect voting integrity; and source code may not be available for public inspection, and
WHEREAS this new voting technology provides no assurance that the voter's vote was recorded as the voter intended, and no means for conducting a meaningful recount of the ballots, and
WHEREAS there is technology available that is fully accessible to individuals with disabilities and also allows voters to verify their paper ballots before they are cast, and
WHEREAS electronic voting machines have proven to be unreliable, since in recent months voters in Fairfax County, VA, Broward County, FL, and elsewhere have had their votes changed on electronic voting machines or not had their votes counted at all on new voting technology, and these problems have resulted in a lawsuit due to the lack of ability to do recounts/audits; and
WHEREAS there are bills in both houses of the United States Congress that will address these problems.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That the ____________ _______endorses the passage of H.R.2239 and S.1980; The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:
Voting systems in Texas be prohibited for purchase by the State and its Counties unless they -
• Incorporate a voter verified physical ballot, deposited at the polling place in a secure ballot box or delivered by the US Postal Service;
• Operate such that the voter is able to void a ballot and cast a new one;
• Maintain the anonymity of the voter; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT:
Elections systems management policies and rules be established in and for Texas and its counties that -
• Establish that physical ballots have precedence over electronic data as the true copy of voter intent for recounts when required by statute or if challenged: and
• Require random checks of the physical ballots against the computer system totals for system audit purposes.