California Pollworkers Told to Withhold Information from Voters

[Pale_Rider]

This is disturbing ...

http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2004_10.php#002010

Santa Clara County, CA - Pollworkers in Santa Clara County are being trained not to offer voters a chance to use paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) has learned. California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley mandated in May that all polling places offer a paper ballot option, which would allow people concerned about e-voting machine reliability a chance to vote on paper ballots at the polls. But pollworkers in Santa Clara County are being instructed not to tell voters that this option is available. Instead, they will make paper ballots available only if voters specifically request them.

Ed Cherlin, a pollworker being trained in Santa Clara County, said he was very disturbed to learn that he was not supposed to mention the paper option. "I object to the government telling me that I can't tell people about their rights," he said. Representatives of the voting commissions in Orange County and Riverside confirm that they also will not be informing voters about the paper option at the polls. There are ten counties in California using paperless e-voting machines known as DREs. It is not clear at this time whether all ten are adopting similar policies.

"When poll workers don't inform people about their options at the voting booth, they go against the spirit of the Secretary of State's mandate," said EFF staff attorney Matt Zimmerman. "More importantly, they undermine people's trust in the voting process."

Contact:

Matt Zimmerman
Staff Attorney
Electronic Frontier Foundation
[e-mail]

[Zhade]

1. Fuckers!

:grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr:

[bliss_eternal]

2. What can we do to get the word out about this?

Anything? I'd be happy to spread the word. This is bullshit.

Feistygrrl

[Zhade]

3. Post on your blog, if you have one.

Send it to Kos, Eschaton, the works.

Email the story to the media via Media Blaster.

That's just a few thoughts. Good luck!

[bliss_eternal]

4. I just went to DU links page...

I emailed my community Democratic organizations asking them to get the word out to any and all that they come into contact with.

Thank you for the suggestion of Media Blaster, I'll go there now and do the same.

Don't have a blog, darn it. :(

Feistygrrl

[Steelangel]

5. You can do that by post at Johnkerry.com forum

that's what I did time to time whenever I need to spread the news. I guess I can post about this one at johnkerry.com forum since I am a californian and I was pissed off about that as well.

[genius]

6. This needs to be reported to Kevin Shelley

[Cleita]

7. Also, post this in GD with a link to this post.

People nationwide need to see this.

[MaryBear]

8. Agreed.

[AndyTiedye]

9. Can Volunteers Carry Signs Telling People They Have a Choice?

There are going to be a lot of us there anyway.