Urgent Action Alert - Tell Albany Not to Weaken NY's Voting Machine Law!

[annabanana]

Two years ago in June 2005, the New York State Legislature adopted some of the strictest requirements for new electronic voting systems in the country. This June, in the last week of the session, lobbyists for the voting machine vendors are pushing a back door amendment drafted by Microsoft attorneys that would effectively gut the source code review protections provided in our current law. New Yorkers must not allow this to happen - you must act now.

Early in the week of June 18, the last week of the Legislative session, a bill will be introduced to correct "technical problems" with an earlier law changing New York's Presidential primary date. But this bill will contain a poisonous provision that effectively removes the possibility of meaningful review of electronic voting system software. In the last 2 months, Microsoft and the voting machine vendors have conducted a full court press in Albany, trying to make OUR Election Law suit THEIR interests. We can't let that happen.

Read the full story here in my blog and New York State newspapers:

http://nyvv.org/blog/bolipariblog.html

http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=598403

http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070616/NEWS05/706160348/1021

Take Action Now! - It's urgent that you call your State Senator and Assembly representative this Monday and Tuesday, June 18 and 19, at their Albany offices, and tell them they must not weaken New York State's voting machine escrow and review requirements. Remind them that the Legislature can be proud of passing a strong law 2 years ago - they must stand by that decision and not give in to pressure by voting machine vendors who seek to undermine these essential protections.

In this last hectic week of the Legislative session, a lot of damage can be done to all we've achieved in the fight for secure, transparent, verifiable elections. Unless we act now, New York State's strict electronic voting machine laws could be gutted by the end of the week. Please call your Representatives in Albany this Monday and Tuesday, June 18 and 19.

Find your Assembly member's contact information here:
http://www.assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
(Not sure who your Assembly member is? Click here to search by Zip Code)

Find your State Senator's contact information here:
http://www.senate.state.ny.us/senatehomepage.nsf/senators?OpenForm
(Not sure who your State Senator is? Click here to search by Zip Code)

Bo Lipari
Executive Director, New Yorkers for Verified Voting