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Assembly
Members Galef and Lifton introduce NY State bill requiring a single,
statewide paper ballot based voting system
Mecklenburg,
NY February 16, 2007
New York Assembly members Sandy Galef and Barbara Lifton have introduced a
bill to implement a state-wide voting system based on paper ballots counted
on precinct based scanners. They were joined at yesterday's press
conference by the League of Women Voters, New Yorkers for Verified Voting
and other good government groups....read
the article
New Rush Holt Bill (HR811) raises questions among voting
integrity groups.
New Yorkers for Verified Voting has joined a coalition of
voting integrity organizations calling attention to the shortcomings of the
"Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007," HR
811. The groups represent a broad cross section of the grassroots voting
integrity movement working on the ground in states all over the United
States. They have released a statement listing areas where the bill needs
improvement, and urge that specific amendments be made to the bill before
it is brought up for a vote.
“While well intentioned, HR 811 has enough holes to
drive a truck full of DREs through.” said Bo Lipari, Executive Director of
NYVV. “It will encourage states to throw good money after bad as they move
to modify failed touch screen voting machines. Congress needs to wake up
and smell the coffee – DREs can’t be ‘fixed’.”
Read
the coalition statement here:
Read Bo's
Blog for more comments.
Village of Altamont passes PBOS resolution
On February 6, 2007 the Board of Trustees of the Village of
Altamont in Albany County passed a resolution calling for adoption of paper
ballots, precinct count scanners and accessible ballot markers as the
county’s voting system.
One of the Trustees who approved the resolution, Harvey Vlahos, wrote a
message which eloquently describes why resolutions are important, and what
citizens can do at the local level to work adopt them. It is reproduced
with permission below.
"Like
a growing number of Americans I was both appalled and alarmed at the
erosion of one of the basic rights of our democracy, the right to vote and
have it be counted. There's been a groundswell of support to not let
corporate interests take over this foundation upon which everything America
stands for is built...." read
the full letter and the text of the resolution.
Strong Support for PBOS at NY City Hearings
New
York City activists participated in two big hearings in January. At the
NYC Board of Elections hearing on Jan. 23, 2007, 60 out of 65 speakers
supported PBOS. Less than a week later, over 20 speakers supported PBOS and
no one supported DREs at the Jan. 29 joint hearing of the City Council's
Governmental Operations Committee and Technology in Government Committee on
Resolution 131. More contact is needed with City Council Speaker Christine
Quinn, who is said to be blocking the PBOS resolution from coming for a
vote. It has 43 of 49 current council members as sponsors, as well as sponsorship
by Betsy Gotbaum, New York Public Advocate.
Events around the State
NY State Board of Elections
Commissioners Meeting
Tuesday, February 20, 2007, 12:00 P.M.
State Board Offices Albany, NY
Bo Lipari will be a guest on Voice of the Voters! on WNJC 1360AM on
Wednesday, February 21, 8-9 PM. Listen
Live
Call 856-227-1360 to ask a question during the show or submit your
questions via email
NYVV in the Media
Senator Nelson (D,FL) introduces Senate companion bill to HR
811. Voting integrity groups find similar flaws in both bills.
Read the article...
New
Yorkers for Verified Voting is a program of International Humanities
Center, a nonprofit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS
Code.All donations
are tax deductible.
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