Electronic voting draws group's ire (Daily Texan)

[sonias]

CodePink and Vote Rescue performed a police action yesterday at the capitol. The target was SOS Roger Williams. I was present. It was a lot of fun too. I was about 80% sure we were going to get arrested by the DPS, but cooler DPS heads prevailed.

Read all about it here:

Daily Texan article 6/20
Austin activists wearing pink police uniforms set up yellow tape around the front steps of the state Capitol Monday, declaring the site a crime scene to draw attention to Travis County's current electronic voting system, which the protesters say does not meet state standards for fairness and accuracy.

Twenty-seven members of CodePink, a women's grass-roots political organization, and Austin's Vote Rescue then proceeded with signs into the office of Secretary of State Roger Williams, whose office oversees voting, to issue him a "citation."

Anthony Proveaux, a senior trooper at the Capitol, notified the group members that Williams was not in his office and that no staff members were willing to accept the citation.

The group had not made an appointment with Williams, said Deborah Vanko of CodePink.

"We're in it for the humor and for the sensation," she said.

The group then proceeded to Gov. Rick Perry's public reception office and remained outside the door until an officer picked up the citation.

Sonia

[Smarty Pants Liberal]

1. Keep slapping the horses Sonia!

Give 'em hell! :kick:

[sonias]

4. And now we know what a printer costs

"a total cost of $1,250 per voting unit"

Fancy schmancy printers, huh? Maybe we should outsource the printers to China and see if they can't bring down the cost. We've already outsourced our Democracy why not the hardware? :sarcasm:

Sonia

[Smarty Pants Liberal]

10. I think they're less expensive in Harris County

Last year I thought they were $1,100 per unit but found out that they were even less expensive. I guess since we are the largest county in the state we get a better deal.

The big fat check from HAVA that our County Clerk received last year could certainly cover the cost of the printers. Did Dana get any HAVA money?

[sonias]

11. Yes something like $5M

Bu the key is that Travis bought our machines really early in the game - 2004. So HAVA of course has never been fully funded by Congress so I'm sure any upgrade to our system will be on our nickle. Fine by me.

Sonia

[acmejack]

2. Sonia you're becoming a regular gadfly!

Great work!

[muse]

3. these are the same voting machines we have in Fort Bend

THANKS for bringing attention to this!!!

[sonias]

5. Get some of your local activists to comment on this

Muse, you'll have an opportunity to comment publicly to the SOS on July 17th. And even if you can't drive here personally, they will accept comments via e-mail and fax. We don't have all the details other than the date right now. This public hearing is specifically for Hart Intecivic though, so be thinking what you want to say about them.

Sonia

[muse]

6. Keep me posted

Juanita is all over this, also.

[Melissa G]

7. Sounds like we have another date with hearing folks who

are not likely to really listen to what we say. Wonder if they will cut this hearing short on us also!

[sonias]

12. I hear we will be getting some out of town visitors for this one

Remember Hart Intercivic was the system involved in many of those March primary fiascoes, including Tarrant County (100,000 over-vote) and Green County where the SOS actually stopped a recount. I'm thinking this one is going to be big, and with out of town visitors they're not going to be calling this one early.

Sonia

[muse]

15. I talked with my buddies in Fort Bend and we want to send someone

so I'm gonna pm you with my email address so I can get more details. Don't know who we'll send, but we are definitely interested in getting involved.

[Melissa G]

16. Oh Goody! but i bet they still ignore us and certify....

They were so bored looking..it seemed like such a done deal last time around.
Hope i am wrong

[Melissa G]

8. reminds me of when I complained to the sargent at arms

at the hearing for re redistricting when they tried to tell us they were not having a hearing..
that trooper was not a happy camper when I told on him at the hearing...He He hee!!!

[MagickMuffin]

9. This reasoning gets me every time:

Scott Haywood, spokesman for Williams' office, said that the current electronic voting system is set to be in compliance with the Help America Vote Act, which requires all precincts to have accessible voting stations for people with disabilities.

So, are all voters considered disabled?:shrug:

Way to go Sonia, keep the pressure on:applause:

[sonias]

13. HAVA does require accessible voting, but it does not require DREs

There are other accessible voting systems that are not DREs. But even if your county uses the DREs why should the disabled person's vote count less? Their votes should be protected along with all of ours. At the very least these machines must be equipped to print a voter verified paper ballot which then becomes the ballot of record.

Sonia

[redqueen]

14. Fantastic!

:applause: