Graham files bill to require paper records from voting machines

[Judi Lynn]

Wednesday, December 10
Graham files bill to require paper records from voting machines

By BRENDAN FARRINGTON
Associated Press Writer

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --
Sen. Bob Graham filed a bill Tuesday that would require touch-screen voting machines to create a paper record of all votes, an issue Florida Democrats promoted at their state convention last weekend.

In addition to a paper record, the Voter Verification Act would require surprise recounts in one half of one percent of voting jurisdictions. Precincts would have to have equipment in place to produce paper records by the 2004 presidential election.

"After the election of 2000 and the midterm election - where stories of voter problems were not uncommon - we have to put an electoral system into place in which Americans can have full confidence," said Graham. "This legislation will take us one step further to ensure that every vote really counts and we do not have another debacle like the 2000 election." (snip)

(snip) But Republican Party of Florida Executive Director Geoffrey Becker said the state's voting system meets all federal requirements and can be trusted by Florida voters. (snip/...)

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031209/APN/312091071

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. And if you believe that the FL voting machines can be trusted as is...

I have a nice bridge in Brooklyn to sell you-cheap.

[Racenut20]

4. There is

Quite a bit of swamp land up around Tallahassee, where the Republican Party headquarters is that is available also.

[demnan]

2. Well done, Bob Graham!!!!!!!

Leave it to the Florida Republicans to fight this.

[alapolitical]

3. Trust the election to the Florida voters?

BAWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[ewagner]

5. Go Bob!

Bob Graham isn't flashy.

Bob Graham isn't a superstar.....

He's a reliable workhorse who takes on the big jobs......

[izzie]

6. Can we get every state to do this?

If people cared they would.

[BearFlagDemocrat]

7. Paper Records? Paper Tiger

Paper records don't mean anything unless the code used in those voting machines is made public. A computer can be programmed to print out one thing and record another. What guarantee do we have that the paper trail matches what the machines have recorded?

[grannylib]

10. Excellent point, isn't that one of the issues Bev Harris was working on?

[info being]

13. Hence the surprise recounts

.

[Gin]

14. HR 2239 inclides open source software...Graham is adding

random spot checks...Bev wanted those too.

[Hubert Flottz]

8. That's great!

Sen. Bob Graham should at least be VP! Colin Powell's or Ashcroft's jobs either one would be good jobs for Bob Graham also!

We do have a few Democratic good guys left in congress!

[soup]

9. Let him know we appreciate the work he's doing.

Takes very little time, and wouldn't it be great to see his office flooded with support.

webform:
http://graham.senate.gov/email.html

email:
bob_graham@ graham.senate.gov

phone/fax:
Phone [phone] -- Fax [phone]

[Qutzupalotl]

18. Good idea--this is huge.

Precincts would have to have equipment in place to produce paper records by the 2004 presidential election.

Last I heard, touchscreen voting companies were promising paper trails by 2006. That may be too late. Good on Graham for moving this up.

[reprehensor]

11. Three cheers for Mr Graham!!

Anyone who happens to be in Congressman Ralph Hall's district, please give him a call and tune him in to H.R. 2239. I called the other day, and his secretary didn't have a frickin' clue. He does now, though.

[kimchi]

12. Way to work for the people, Bob!

[guajira]

15. Forget Graham!! This is the bill we Should be Supporting

The paper-verified machine I used at the Fla State convention seemed useless to me. The printout was a block of machine-language! I expected something that I could read!

snippet:
Washington, DC – Rep. Rush Holt today responded to the growing chorus of concern from election reform specialists and computer security experts about the integrity of future elections by introducing reform legislation, The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2003. The measure would require all voting machines to produce an actual paper record by 2004 that voters can view to check the accuracy of their votes and that election officials can use to verify votes in the event of a computer malfunction, hacking, or other irregularity. Experts often refer to this paper record as a “voter-verified paper trail.”

“We cannot afford nor can we permit another major assault on the integrity of the American electoral process,” said Rep. Rush Holt. “Imagine it’s Election Day 2004. You enter your local polling place and go to cast your vote on a brand new “touch screen” voting machine. The screen says your vote has been counted. As you exit the voting booth, however, you begin to wonder. How do I know if the machine actually recorded my vote? The fact is, you don’t.”

http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/052503F.shtml

[GregD]

17. Are you kidding?

Sorry, but try looking into the bill before making a rash judgement.

Graham's bill is essentially a copy of HR2239, he even neglected to change some dates that already passed in Holt's bill (we have asked them to make those changes). We will also see if we can get some other changes made in it before it goes too far, just to make it more powerful.

We have tried for months to get a Senator to introduce such a bill, and the main problem with this one is that they launched it without Republican support - so we are up against the same partisan issues again.

But I would say yes, we DO want to support this bill - with teh same enthusiasm as HR2239.

[BeFree]

16. DemActivist

Remember her? Back when Bob was running for pres. she was all over us Graham supporters asking when Bob was gonna get with the anti-vote-stealing program. Took him long enough, eh?

[Qutzupalotl]

19. This deserves a kick

for the evening crowd.
:kick:

[goobergunch]

20. LEGISLATIVE INFO ON S. 1980, the (Senate) BBV bill

S. 1980, A bill to amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require a voter-verified permanent record or hardcopy under title III of such Act, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen Graham, Bob
Cosponsors: (none)

12/9/2003
Referred to Senate committee.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:s.01980:

[holeinboatoutatsea]

21. The denial of open source code and

refusal to provide a paper trail are obvious clues to anyone watching of the probability that the next election will be stolen without the ability to prove it.

It is obvious to anyone that has a critical thought in their head. For those that don't give a damn, maybe they will after their freedoms are taken away by the boy emperor.

I have seriously considered not participating in the next election at all if there is no way to prove my vote was counted as I intended it. Why provide legitimacy to the process when it will be nothing but a sham? On the off chance that my vote will actually count? How the hell will I know if it does or not?