UUs for Verified Voting Active in pre-election planning in multiple states
By Heleni Thayre
Unitarian Universalists for Verified Voting were represented at the National Association of Secretaries of State in New Mexico this July. Heleni Thayre delivered a letter to each Secretary asking his or her cooperation in requiring voter verified paper ballots and hand-conducted audits for electronic tallying machines in their own states. The letter referenced the many recent reports of government agencies and NGOs that have come to similar conclusions in what we hope will be an inexorable turning of the tide. These reports include those of the General Accountability Office of the US Congress, the League of Women Voters, Common Cause, the Carter-Baker Commission, and the Brennan Center as well as a Johns Hopkins report reviewed by the Secretaries of State in 2003. Much work remains at the grassroots level to ensure that strong legislation is in place in every state requiring both paper ballots and matter of course audits. UUs are deeply involved in these efforts in New Mexico, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York and other states.
In addition Ms. Thayre delivered to the Secretaries and to the four Election Assistance Commissioners her analysis of the language of HAVA (the Help America Vote Act), arguing that within the language of HAVA are stipulations that, when taken as a whole, must be logically interpreted to require a voter verified paper ballot.
A pre-conference forum was hosted by UU Bob Stearns and other voting integrity leaders in New Mexico at the UU Church of Santa Fe. The UUs involved in voting integrity action in this state are grassroots organizers largely responsible for the dramatic turnaround of New Mexico voting practices in the next election. The state used 100% paperless ballots in 2004 and is switching in 2006 to hand marked paper ballots and the AutoMARK, a ballot marker that assists people with disabilities to mark a paper ballot. The landmark New Mexico legislation followed a lawsuit brought because of many anomalies (including "flipped votes," lost votes and unexplained extra votes) in the state which deeply troubled activists. Well known voting rights attorney Lowell Finley was among those who argued this case.
If you are involved in action supporting verified voting in your state, UUs for Verified Voting would like to know about it! Please contact Heleni Thayre to become more involved with this national network.
For further information:
Read "Recipe for a Cooked Election" by Greg Palast, "Yes" Magazine, fall 2006 edition.
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