Paper Ballots are Best
By Sean Flaherty, IVI
Iowa
legislators are taking steps to make paper ballots the statewide
standard for our elections. We need your help to keep the
momentum going. A sample letter is at the end of this alert.
Touchscreen
voting machines are now the primary method of voting in 18 counties and
are in partial use in 60 counties. Senate Study Bill 1104 and House
Study Bill 178 would gradually replace touchscreen voting machines with
paper ballots for all voters. Voters with disabilities could use a
touchscreen device to help mark a ballot, but the new touchscreen would
not record or tabulate votes.
The
current touchscreens, which do record and tabulate the votes, have been
prone to vote-flipping, and are associated with the still-unexplained
loss of 18,000 votes in a Florida election last year.
Before
the new equipment is phased in, the vote-recording touchscreens would
still be used and would have paper printers added that offer the voters
a chance to check their votes.
We need
to skip this interim step. The paper printers use flimsy, thermal
paper, have all the votes on a continuous paper roll, are prone to
printer jams, and are at best cumbersome to recount by hand. What's
more, new federal legislation could ban the flimsy paper printers.
Legislators
are aware of these flaws, which is why SSB 1104 and HSB 178 phase out
the vote-recording touchscreens altogether and would replace them with
ballot-marking devices for voters with disabilities. Note: the amended
text of these bills is not yet online at the General Assembly web site.
Click here to see the amendment from which the legislators are now
working.
Legislators
in both parties would prefer to switch out the touchscreens now. The
issue is cost. To replace the touchscreens with paper ballot systems
now could cost as much as $8-10 million. Adding the very
inadequate paper trail printers would cost over $1 million. So
they are leaning toward the cheaper option for the short run, and
slowly phasing in the real solution. We believe that when the
state has a budget surplus in the hundreds of millions of dollars,
$8-10 million is a good value for reliable voting systems.
That's
where you can help. Contact your legislator, members of the House and
Senate State Government Committees, and Governor Culver. Tell them
that investing now in paper ballots is the wisest choice for
Iowa. Urge them to provide full funding to phase out touchscreen
voting.
A sample letter and contact information for key legislators and the Governor are below.
Thank you for helping Iowa move toward verified voting!
Best regards,
Sean Flaherty
Co-Chair, Iowans for Voting Integrity
www.IowansForVotingIntegrity.org
Sample Letter for Legislators and the Governor:
Dear [Representative/Senator/Governor Culver]
It is
time for Iowa to make voter-marked paper ballots the standard for our
elections. Paper ballots are inherently verified by the voter, and in
the event of a recount, offer the strongest evidence of the voter's
intent. Continuous vote reels and flimsy paper are not a solution
to the problem of unverifiable, paperless voting machines.
Voting
systems worthy of public confidence are always a wise investment for
the state, but when Iowa enjoys the financial health it does today,
spending a small portion of our budget surplus to purchase the best
equipment is not a difficult choice. I urge you to support full funding
to replace the current generation of direct-recording electronic voting
machines with ballot-marking devices for voters with disabilities.
Thank you for attending to the machinery of democracy.
Sincerely,
CONTACT INFORMATION
Governor Culver:
Phone: 515-281-5211
E-mail form: http://www.governor.iowa.gov/administration/contact/
Find Your Legislator:
http://www.legis.state.ia.us/FindLeg/
Target Legislators:
Phone:
Senate Switchboard: (515) 281-3371
House Switchboard: (515) 281-3221
E-mail:
Senate President Jack Kibbie
john.kibbie@legis.state.ia.us
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal
michael.gronstal@legis.state.ia.us
Senate Minority Leader Mary Lundby
mary.lundby@legis.state.ia.us
House Speaker Pat Murphy
Pat.Murphy@legis.state.ia.us
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin.McCarthy@legis.state.ia.us
House Minority Leader Christopher Rants
Christopher.Rants@legis.state.ia.us
Senator Mike Connolly, Chair, Senate State Government Committee
mike.connolly@legis.state.ia.us
Senator Mark Zieman, Ranking Member, Senate State Government Committee
mark.zieman@legis.state.ia.us
Senator Jeff Danielson, Member, Senate State Government Committee
jeff.danielson@legis.state.ia.us
Representative Pam Jochum, Chair, House State Government Committee
Pam.Jochum@legis.state.ia.us
Representative Carmine Boal, Ranking Member, House State Government Committee.
Carmine.Boal@legis.state.ia.us
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Wednesday, February 28
Paper Ballots are Best
by
Sam Garchik
on Wed 28 Feb 2007 09:56 AM CST
Monday, February 26
Great New Tool for Tracking Your Federal Legislator
by
Sam Garchik
on Mon 26 Feb 2007 07:44 AM CST
Great New Tool for Tracking Your Federal Legislator
By Sam Garchik I apologize for the scarcity of posts over the last few days. Let's just say that I've been battling some serious power issues, as I am sure many of you have been. My Feedblitz totals have also been low, so I imagine that many of you have had some trouble as well. I've wanted to talk MegaVote for a few days now, and this is the perfect opportunity. Megavote is run by www.congress.org, and what they do is a lot like what the sunlight foundation does. At this site, you can sign up for updates on your legislator, and they will email you their weekly voting record. I've only been registered for it for one week, but the emails are really good. They come in html format, and have links in them that allow you to email your legislator, read their bios, and, most importantly, learn more about the legislation in question. I'll post a link to the site on the left side of the page for you as well. Wednesday, February 21
Action Needed on Iowa Senate Ag. Bill
by
Sam Garchik
on Wed 21 Feb 2007 09:18 AM CST
Action Needed on Iowa Senate Ag. Bill
By the IFU Urgent action is needed to influence members of the Senate Ag Committee to get three bills out of committee and onto the Senate floor where they can be debated and voted on. There is a Senate Ag Committee meeting this afternoon. Please contact your Senator on the Ag Committee TODAY or as many as you like (include Gronstal) to let them know that you support these bills, which not only will protect the independent hog producer but also work to return the rights of rural families and farmers in Iowa. THE SENATE SWITCHBOARD NUMBER IS (515) 281-3371. If you can't get through, please leave a short message. Also contact GOVERNOR CULVER'S OFFICE: (515) 281-5211. Bills: 1.) SF 10 (Bio-Security Bill): If passed, this bill will establish firm separation distances between farrowing units and other animal confinements. This bill is important because it will help return an important $1 billion industry to Iowa. Due to the increased number of confinements being built across the state and thus the increased concentration, Iowa has become an epicenter of disease in the livestock (especially hog) industry. In a recent interview, the newly elected President of the Iowa Pork Producers Association openly admitted that it is hard to establish farrow hogs in Iowa because of the density of nearby large confinements that spread disease. Now their lobbyists are actively working against a bill that would protect farrowing units and help young farmers get started in raising hogs. We wonder where their true loyalties are? 2.) SSB 1140 (Master Matrix Bill): This study bill tightens the requirements on confinement operators to fill out all portions of the matrix and also attain a passing score in each of the following three areas: air quality, water quality, and communities. Tightening the matrix is an important first step to returning clean air, clean water and healthy rural communities back to Iowa, currently those with a D - can get a passing grade (440 out of 880). 3.) SSB 1165 (Supervisor Committee Bill): This study bill calls for the county board of supervisors to appoint a five-person committee with staggered five-year terms that will review the all applications for the construction of new confinements. The committee is to be made up of the county's environmental health officer, a commissioner of soil and water conservation, a real estate broker, a city/town resident, a farmer engaged in livestock operations. The board shall make its decision to accept or reject the proposed operation based on the results of the master matrix. While none of these are perfect bills, we believe that they are a reasonable compromise that can be achieved between the livestock industry and the health and property concerns of rural residents and all Iowans during this legislative session. We urge you to contact the following Senators who sit on the Senate Ag Committee and help influence them to make the right decision on these important matters. (If you don't a Farm Bureau and Pork Producer lobbyist gladly will.) Democrats Senator: Tom Rielly (Vice Chair of Agriculture Committee) Home Town: Oskaloosa Counties: Iowa, Keokuk, Mahaska, Poweshiek, Tama Senator: Dennis Black Home Town: Grinnell Counties: Jasper, Polk Senator: Thomas Courtney Home Town: Burlington Counties: Des Moines, Louisa, Muscatine Senator: Tom Hancock Home Town: Epworth Counties: Delaware, Dubuque, Jones Senator: Rich Olive Home Town: Story City Counties: Hamilton, Story, Webster, Wright Senator: Dr. Joes Seng Home Town: Davenport Counties: Scott Senator: Staci Appel Home Town: Ackworth Counties: Dallas, Madison, Warren Republicans Senator: David Johnson (Ranking Member) Occupation: Hired Hand on a Dairy Farm Home Town: Ocheyedan Counties: Clay, Dickinson, O'Brien, Osceola, Sioux Senator: Nancy Boettger Home Town: Harlan Counties: Adair, Audubon, Cass, Guthrie, Pottawattamie, Shelby Senator: Thurman Gaskill Home Town: Corwith Counties: Cerro Gordo, Franklin, Hancock, Winnebago, Worth Senator: Hubert Houser Home Town: Carson Counties: Fremont, Mills, Paige, Pottawattamie Senator: Dave Mulder Home Town: Sioux Center Counties: Sioux, Lyon Senator: John Putney Home Town: Gladbrook Counties: Emmet, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Webster Wednesday, February 14
DFA Training Academy in Cedar Rapids
by
Sam Garchik
on Wed 14 Feb 2007 08:39 AM CST
--Rep. Elesha Gayman IA-84, DFA Training Academy 2006 Graduate DFA Training Academy in Cedar Rapids By Arshad Hasan, Training Director Iowa voters have the special responsibility of hosting America's first contest in the presidential primaries. You and I know that the grassroots are more than just a passive audience. We're proud to announce that the DFA Training Academy is coming to Cedar Rapids, Iowa on March 24-25 providing the skills you'll need to make a difference on the ground for your candidate. The DFA Training Academy will make you an even greater asset to the candidate you end up supporting, whether it's a school board campaign or a race for the White House. You will learn the skills needed to take your support to the next level. At the DFA Training Academy, experienced campaign professionals will cover practical strategies and tactics including communications, fundraising, voter targeting, online organizing, and building a sustainable grassroots movement. We design the program so you can go out and use the skills you learn right away. Then, we follow up with you to make sure you have the support you need to organize your community. RSVP Today I hope to see you in Cedar Rapids! Thursday, February 8
Abandon Touchscreens
by
Sam Garchik
on Thu 08 Feb 2007 09:00 PM CST
Abandon Touchscreens By Trish and Ellen, Rapid Response Iowa The good folks at Iowans for Voting Integrity http://www.iowansforvotingintegrity.org/News.htm have been working hard behind the scenes to assure election integrity in Iowa. They are working with state legislators to introduce a bill that will bring paper ballots and verified voting to all Iowa elections. As you know, even the Republican Governor of Florida has decided to abandon touchscreen voting machines. Iowa should abandon touchscreens, too. http://www.nytimes. com/2007/ 02/02/us/ 02voting.html Your help is now needed. County Auditors may well be resistant to more changes in equipment; last year the Iowa's Auditors' association opposed even the modest bill SF 351, which would only have required that paper printers be added to the touchscreens. Action: Please
consider calling or writing your County Auditor and ask her or him to
support legislation that would replace touchscreens in Iowa. Be sure to note that you support legislation that would have the state fund the transition to paper ballots. Click here for contact information for all the County Auditors in Iowa: http://www.sos.state.ia.us/elections/auditors/AuditorsList.html New Legislation being introduced this week: Legislation
being introduced this week by U.S. Representative Rush Holt will
establish strict new standards for the paper rolls, which no current
touchscreen system meets. This will strongly favor paper ballots, with
assistive marking devices for disabled voters. Contact your auditor: You
may ask, why not just add the printer on to the touchscreen to allow
the voter to see their vote on paper? Below is some information. From the IVI website: A survey by the group Iowans for Voting Integrity (IVI) found that one-fourth of Iowa voters used the touchscreens in the June 2006 primary. Says
IVI chair Carole Simmons, “With touchscreen machines, votes are
recorded as a chunk of computer code that the voter cannot view. This
leaves the door open for error or fraud." Numerous
academic studies and independent security reports over the past year
warn that elections on these machines are at high risk of being
compromised, either unintentionally or by deliberate, malicious design. Touchscreen systems, even with an added paper printout the voter can see, are no match for voter-marked paper ballots. All touchscreens used in the U.S. have proven vulnerable to calibration problems; e.g., “vote flipping." See the article "All Four Major E-Voting Machines Flip Votes in Early Voting" by Warren Stewart of VoteTrust USA. Why paper ballots are better than a "paper trail": In case of a recount, ballots are far superior than a printer roll. A ballot marked by the voter more definitively communicates the voter's intent than a secondary printout. Paper ballots are more amenable to recount or audit by hand. Disabled voters have successfully used paper-ballot markers like the Automark (used in almost a third of Iowa's polling places) without trusting to glitch-prone touchscreens. The paper that the printer rolls use is low-quality, flimsy paper; the roll is commonly called a "toilet-paper roll." Legislation being introduced this week by U.S. Representative Rush Holt will establish strict new standards for the paper rolls, which no current touchscreen system meets. This will strongly favor paper ballots, with assistive marking devices for disabled voters. Rep. Holt's bill will provide $300 million to states and counties to upgrade to the new standards. Iowa should not find itself in the position of catching up to Florida. We should move to adopt the most proven, easily verified method of voting throughout the state: the paper ballot. If you have questions, send an e-mail to Iowans for Voting Integrity at Visit their website at http://www.iowansforvotingintegrity.org/index.htm Tuesday, February 6
Stop the War
by
Sam Garchik
on Tue 06 Feb 2007 09:03 PM CST
Stop the War
By DFA
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Iowa Sites Child & Family Policy Center - Iowa Genetic Engineering Action Network Iowa Citizen Action Network - ICAN Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Iowa Physicians for Social Responsibility Iowa Public Interest Research Group Midwest Environmental Justice Advocates Progressive Action for the Common Good Progressive Coalition of Central Iowa QCAD (Quad-Citians Affirming Diversity - GLBT) Iowa Blogs The Deprogrammer (Quad Cities) Iowa True Blue (Gordon Fischer's Blog) Iowa Voters for Open and Transparent Elections Political FalloutFight Iowa Rapid Response Network - Iowa
Iowans for Better Local TV
Air America
The Counterpoint
National FAIR: Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
Media Matters for America
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