Response from FL Sen Nelson RE: Voter Verified Ballots

[Synnical]

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about the election process. The time has come to ensure that the vote of each American is counted and counted as intended.

To help restore voter confidence, I introduced the Voting Integrity and Verification Act (VIVA) of 2007, S.559. VIVA will mandate the use of voter-verified paper ballots in any election with Federal candidates. This legislation proposes mandatory security requirements, random audits of paper ballots, and $300 million in Federal funding to assist in the implementation of VIVA. S. 559 also makes it illegal for a chief State election administration official to take an active part in a political campaign. As a bipartisan, bicameral approach to voting reform, Congressman Rush Holt introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives, H.R. 811.

Like you, I believe the right to vote is sacred. Further, having your vote counted as intended is vital to maintaining democracy. Please don't hesitate to contact me again. Your communication continues to help me better serve you in the Senate.

Humph. Not enough.

[Dr.Phool]

1. He didn't say anything about verifiable paper BALLOTS.

That's the key. Verifiable paper BALLOTS that supercede electronic bullshit.

[Synnical]

3. Ah, read it again.

:)

[SteppingRazor]

2. Might not be enough, but it's as far as he can go.

The U.S. Congress can mandate voter-verified paper ballots for Federal candidates, but whether that happens in state elections is up to the individdual states.

[Synnical]

4. Response from Senator - what's his name - the Repuke

He what? Obama did what? Note that what's his name, not once, ever, responded to my letters until the Dems became the Majority Party.

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

Thank you for letting me know of your support for legislation that would prevent election fraud. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to respond to your concerns.

As you may know, elections in the United States are administered at the state and local level. The federal government did not set mandatory standards for voting systems, nor did it provide funding to state and local jurisdictions for the administration of elections until 2002 with the passing of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA, P.L. 107-252).

HAVA created the Election Assistance Commission (EAC), an independent bipartisan federal agency with certain election administration responsibilities. HAVA also set requirements that influence voting and voter-registration systems, and provide federal funding to help states replace voting equipment, improve accessibility, recruit poll workers, and perform research and pilot studies.

In addition, HAVA included a number of provisions to prevent voter fraud. Voting is a fundamental right in our society, however, voter fraud threatens the integrity of our elections and undermines representative democracy. Although HAVA was the first piece of federal legislation to address the problem of voter fraud, many lawmakers have questioned HAVA’s ability to fully protect the integrity of our election system.

On January 31, 2007, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) introduced the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act (S. 453). This legislation would prohibit any individual from knowingly providing deceptive information in order to prevent someone from voting. S. 453 would also require the Attorney General to fully investigate allegations of deceptive practices, and in conjunction with the EAC, provide accurate election information when allegations are confirmed. S. 453 was referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, where it awaits further approval.

Although I do not serve on this committee, please know that I take the issue of voter fraud very seriously. I will be sure to keep your concerns in mind should the full Senate consider S. 453 or related legislation.

Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. If you have any further questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me. In addition, for more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.

Sincerely,

Mel Martinez
United States Senator