'Daily Voting News' For December 04, 2008

 

The Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) was signed into law in Oct. 2002. Amongst other things HAVA required the formation of the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and provided some mandates, in Title III of the law, for federal elections including some standards for voting systems. Those standards include, but are not limited to, accessibility for voters with disabilities and accuracy in the vote count. Testing by experts in accessibility has shown that none of the Direct Recording Electronic voting systems presently in use meet the requirements for accessibility. Failures in testing and vote counting in real elections have also proven that, at times, the voting systems presently being used across the country do not meet the federally mandated requirements for accuracy.

 

So what guidance has been provided by the EAC to the states with regards to Title III? Well, actually none. In fact even though voting systems presently in use do not meet federal law the EAC is just now getting around to issuing guidance to state and local election officials and, according to the draft of the plan ‘featured’ below, it is going to take another two years before the EAC can complete the guidance.

 

Why can’t they just tell the vendors and the states that the law is clear and if they fail to follow that law violations will be referred to the DoJ? The fact that the vendors misrepresent their products as being accessible is a clear violation of the law. It is time they are held responsible and it doesn’t take two years of studying Title III of HAVA to make that clear.

 

Featured: National: US EAC Draft Strategic Plan: Fiscal Years: 2009 through 2014

http://www.eac.gov/News/docs/strategic-plan-draft-12-2-cover-changed-nov-to-dec/

 

National: Election Reform and the Right to Vote: Part I

 http://www.moresoftmoneyhardlaw.com/news.html?AID=1382

 

National: Fix The Voting System Now

The New Republic: The Election May Be Over, But The Problem Is Far From Gone

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/04/opinion/main4648642.shtml

 

CA: Riverside County – Opinion - Registrar rallied to count votes

http://www.mydesert.com/article/20081204/OPINION01/812030393/1026/NEWS12

 

CO: Colorado Election Reform Commission, Dec. 2, 2008

http://www.democraticwing.org/?q=node/121

 

GA: Appeals court hears argument on voter ID

http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2008/12/04/voterid.html

 

MN: Opinion - Not Every Vote Counts

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/opinion/04seife.html

 

MN: U.S. Senate recount results by county

http://ww2.startribune.com/news/metro/elections/returns/2008/recount/msenco.html

 

MN: Franken Camp Claims To Be Winning Recount

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/12/03/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4646075.shtml

 

MN: Franken pulls closer, but Coleman leads in Minn.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gMpTmr96V5hKIfyHT4Av4jsVQgrQD94REBA80

 

MN: More Missing Ballots in Coleman-Franken Race; Recount Extended

http://www.pubrecord.org/politics/539-more-missing-ballots-in-coleman-franken-race-recount-extended.html

 

OH: Senate pursues quick action on election reform

Bill would do what Brunner's summit warned against: rush changes into law

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2008/12/02/electionsummit.html?sid=101

 

OH: GOP move to alter Ohio voting law in lame-duck session sparks criticism

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081204/NEWS09/812040369

 

OH: Ohio Election Summit starts to evaluate the 2008 election

http://moritzlaw.osu.edu/electionlaw/

 

OK: Bill requiring photo ID is a bad idea ... once again

http://www.enidnews.com/opinion/local_story_338225701.html?keyword=secondarystory

 

PA: Clarion County - County LWV hears concerns about electronic voting

http://www2.theclarionnews.com/General_News/75887.shtml

 

VT: Officials recount towns at random

http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20081204/NEWS02/812040392/1003/NEWS02

 

WA: Coffee and Politics hosts secretary of state

Sam Reed spoke about improving the ballot system, illegal voting and other election issues.

http://www.dailyevergreen.com/story/27202

 

WV: Ireland sticks by voting machines

http://sundaygazettemail.com/News/200812030762

 

**Articles and commentary included in “Daily Voting News” may not all reflect the opinions of VotersUnite.Org or its allied organizations. The articles are all included for the information of the subscribers of “Daily Voting News” though we realize that the subscribers may not agree with the opinions given in all articles or in the commentary**

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