United Voters!

As the election draws closer, the likelihood of changes in voting systems decreases (with a few notable exceptions). So, most of us are focusing more and more on how to increase the chances of an accurate election, given the equipment that is already in place. Here are some things you can do.

——————Volunteer for Poll Watching

BlackBoxVoting is organizing an "election watch crew". http://www.blackboxvoting.org/

VerifiedVoting.org is organizing "TechWatch." http://vevo.verifiedvoting.org/techwatch/

Informed poll watching can make a difference. Read about the work Roxanne Jekot's group of 150 volunteers did in the Georgia primary. (http://www.votersunite.org/info/content/mess-up_072304.asp.) Then join in the efforts of a national org, or work with other concerned citizens in your area to be a well- informed election observer.

——————Advocate Accountability Procedures

One of the new items on our Info page links to our recommended accountability procedures for counties using optical scan machines. This page was developed as a cooperative effort between VotersUnite! and Concerned Citizens for Democratic Integrity (King County – Seattle), with some input from Bev Harris. http://www.votersunite.org/info/OSprocedures.asp

If you live in an optical scan county, consult with your local election officials. See if they are following the minimum accountability procedures. Many of them probably are. In particular, talk with them about testing and about establishing auditing procedures — not recount procedures, but manual counts in a randomly-selected percentage of precincts to check whether the machines read and counted the votes correctly.

——————Object to New E-Voting Purchases

We have a request from New Mexico, and we need all of you to participate. Help stop Bernalillo County (Albequerque) from buying more Sequoia AVC Edge electronic voting machines. Remember Bernalillo County? 48,000 people voted on the touch screens in November 2002. Only 36,000 of their votes were counted. The 25% error went unnoticed for 10 days until an attorney noticed it. Sequoia technicians claim they were able to reconstruct the data and determine the actual vote counts. (See our "Mess-up Du Jour" from July 9. http://www.votersunite.org/info/content/mess-up_070904.asp)

A recent article in the Albequerque Tribune quotes Mary Herrera, Bernalillo County Clerk as saying: "We have never experienced any election in which all votes have not been counted."

New Mexico activists tell us that Bernalillo County is poised to make a very large purchase shortly, and the county's decision is likely to set the standard for the state.

CALL AND OBJECT!

- Call 505 768-4085, then press 1 when the message starts.

- Ask for county clerk Mary Herrera or her assistant.

- Tell them you are calling to request that they do not purchase any more of these unreliable voting systems for Bernalillo County. Even if you live outside NM, call and let them know where you are calling from. You are a stake holder in New Mexico elections. You have a right to be heard.

- For talking points about other Sequoia AVC Edge disasters, see: http://www.votersunite.org/info/Sequoiainthenews.pdf

——————Keep Educating Yourself and Others

- Hand-deliver "Myth Breakers for Election Officials" to your local official, if you haven't already. http://www.votersunite.org/takeaction.asp. Talk with them about your concerns while you are there.

- Keep up on the voting news: http://www.votersunite.org/news.asp

- Visit our "Mess-up Du Jour" each day for a brief description of an election problem — a different one each day. http://www.votersunite.org/info/mess-updujour.asp

- Check our Info page periodically for new activist materials and ideas. http://www.votersunite.org/info.asp

- Take your concerns off-line by speaking to friends and neighbors about it. Let them know that paper ballots are essential. Speak at local meetings.

- Put anti-e-voting stickers on all the letters you send out: http://www.votersunite.org/info/label-instructions.asp

- Write letters to your local newspaper. Over and over and over. The press is beginning to catch on. Tell them the facts.

"We should not be silenced."
~ John Gideon

——————Don't Get Discouraged

The movement is growing. More people are becoming aware. More officials are taking a stand for paper ballots. More newspapers are publishing editorials opposing paperless voting. (May the gods smile on the New York Times editorial board.) Because of all us 'ants,' each doing our little part, the November election looks much brighter than it would have if we had all been sleeping for the past year.

Keep up the good work! You never know what good thing might happen tomorrow.

~ the VotersUnite! team

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