BBV Alert- Take Action NOW to Take Back the Vote!!

[RedEagle]

1) WRITE Kevin Shelley, Secretary of State of California, for standing up for ALL of our voting rights.

I was extremely disappointed in the response given to thank him the first time for mandating paper ballots in California. It may not have been all we wanted, but it was a start. It got the ball rolling on a state level. For cryin' out loud, when the guy does what you want, THANK HIM FOR IT!!

California Secretary of State
1500 11th Street
Sacramento, California 95814



Read the following threads:

BBV: California Audit of Diebold Released- Woo Hoo! Greg D

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=927680


BBV: Press Conference Summary plan9_pub (David)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=923611


You can also read Greg's write up at: www.blackboxvoting.org, in the California forum. That does not require registration.

Send cards and letters, follow up with emails and faxes. Shelley just gave the country the best Christmas present you could ask for, the chance to save our democracy. The least you can do is give the guy a big Santa Hug!


2)Go to these threads on www.blackboxvoting.org:

Action-Demand Congressional Investigation:

http://www.blackboxvoting.org/htdocs/dcforum/DCForumID127/1.html


Action-Contact Boxer for Tighter HR 2239:

http://www.blackboxvoting.org/htdocs/dcforum/DCForumID128/1.html


You don't have to be registered at BBV to access those forums.

It's time for Congress to get rolling. The big four companies still control the industry and election officials, to the point that officials spread misinformation about the availability of machines that produce a paper ballot. They only look at Diebold, Sequoia, ES&S, and HartInterCivic, and base the paper ballot capability on them. This is total bunk. This is monopolistic control of the industry. Three other vendors produce v-vpb and a fourth may be a possibility. They just don't belong to the "exclusive" industry club.

We can still influence Boxer's legislation. I hear it's based on HR 2239, and that bill, while better than nothing, was written back when we all still had things to learn. Changes to the language that tighten it up are in the Boxer forum.

I wrote both and you are welcome to edit and add a bit, but I think the general idea is there. Getting CBS to the California meeting was a huge start, but this won't keep momentum if WE don't work to keep it. Get behind it with a big push NOW. The big four vendors have created a council to push their mandate on the people and congress. We have proven we can overcome that. Time to prove it again.

This is where the garbage hits the fan folks. There have been several "tipping points" along the way, and this is a big one.

Let's all get behind that boulder of unverifiable voting and push it into oblivion.

For Washington State folks, Sam Reed capitualted on paper ballots while keeping his fingers crossed behind his back. His bill allows electronic verification if it becomes certified. Read VoteHere and Sequoia into that one, with Adler of VoteHere working on certification standards. Support citizen bill H. 3315 instead.

Take Back The Vote!

[RedEagle]

1. Took a While to Get Right so, Back to Page ONE!

Kick!

[ParanoidPat]

2. That looks heavy......

.....let me give you a hand with that. :evilgrin:

I'll send off another thank you letter to his office today as well as a well done nod to Barbara Boxer. :toast:

Back to the top! :kick:

[redqueen]

3. Thanks very much for this post!!!!

Thanks for the links and the suggestions. You so rock.

Will send letters today.

'We the people' are responsible. Let's act like it.

[info being]

4. Beyond letters?

What if we were to organize a movement where, if one's precinct selects these corrupted machines, we will all request absentee ballots.

We could start a petition of people so opposed to these machines that we would refuse to vote with them...thus undermining the ability for the industry to claim improved efficiency.

I also wanted to make sure you guys were aware of what these companies are doing to "address our concern": http://www.fcw.com/geb/articles/2003/1208/web-etc-12-09-03.asp

[RedEagle]

9. Mandate hand counts

The optical scan machines have computer code flaws/corruption problems too.

Demand a hand count, and maybe people will start wising up.

Remember- They have been brainwashed by The Election Center and its minions at NASED and NASS for a very long time now.

[Spazito]

5. Kick

:kick:

[alfredo]

6. A Kentucky Kick

I am awaiting response to my 4th request for info on this state's voting machines. If none, I will have to start raising hell, and maybe contact a lawyer.

[JohnGideon]

7. Diebold Is The First Domino

When they fall they can take the rest of them along for the ride. You will now see Sequoia, Hart, and ES&S scrambling to distance themselves from Diebold. We can't take the heat off of any of them. They all have dirt that needs to come out. VoteHere is another with definite ties to the Republican party. Their Chairman, Ralph Munro, brags about time spent in Crawford, TX and his donations to Bush. Their recent ex-Chairman was a close confidant of Cheney. Their founder is an ex-Head of the CIA and was implicated deeply in Iran-Contra. Is this the people we want counting our votes??? Not mine.

[Andy_Stephenson]

8. A joyful

:kick:

[RedEagle]

10. You Wanted It, Shelley Delivered

I want to see the CA Secretary of State's office FLOODED with letters and cards of appreciation.

That's a very, very small token of appreciation we are all capable of.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. I emailed him using the form here

http://www.ss.ca.gov/cgi-bin/print_form.cgi

[RedEagle]

12. It should SNOW paper in Shelley's office

Now!

Kick!

[info being]

13. The problem is, nobody thinks our concern is valid

They think it is a "perception" problem that must be addressed...not a viable problem that must be fixed. The only way to get them to listen is to make their lives hell.

[althecat]

14. A kick for the big red bird

[hunter]

15. That's the way many politicians think.

It's all about the public perception. Most politicians see no need to act on a problem until the public perceives there is a problem.

In the case of voting machines there needs to be a public perception that the voting process is fair and accurate. Unfortunately this public perception is often unrelated to any scientific audit of the process.

If the voting process is not fair and accurate, but is perceived by the public to be fair and accurate, we get a poor fascimile of democracy, but most people will believe their government is legitimate. If the process is perceived to be unfair or inaccurate by the public, they will consider their government illegitimate.

As a person with a technical and scientific background, I looked at the Diebold hardware and software and thought, "this is bullshit." But the average Joe Public looked at these machines and thought, "Hmmmmm... Diebold, they make ATM machines so these things must be pretty secure."

The politicians were perfectly comfortable with this perception of Joe Public -- it made their lives much easier. They wrote a check to Diebold, and a bunch of problems went away. Now that these politicians are beginning to see the reality of the situation they are not happy.

[shirlden]

16. A kick for California

n/t

:kick:

[RedEagle]

17. Snow in Sacramento!

Let the cards and letter of thanks fall in a blizzard!

[dusty64]

18. He seems to be one of the

good guys and there seems to be very few of those these days.

[RedEagle]

19. If You Want the Good Guys to Keep Trying....

...you got to thank them.

Kick!

[dusty64]

20. That is true, its

just kinda a sad thing that we have to thank people in government for doing their jobs and actually working for the People and not corporations. I am writing, btw.
:kick:

[RedEagle]

21. Everyone write and reply here, keep this kicked

Write Shelley and make it snow in Sacramento.

Write Congress asking for an investigation.

Write Boxer asking for stronger legislation.

All of the information is possible at the sites in the first post, plus how to contact Shelley.

This is important. Nothing changes in this country if our vote doesn't count! We don't get our country back talking about the next issue the press gives us to take our attention away. Nothing changes about blocked investigations, being lied into war, and unfair tax cuts, nothing, unless we get the vote back in the hands of the people.

Take the time, right now, to do all three. All you have to do is send Shelley a quick note.

All you have to do is copy the investigation request and send it.

All you have to do is copy the updated legislation to beef up the Holt bill, and send it. You can use Thomas to find your legislators:

http://thomas.loc.gov/

That should take you to a site for bill, but look at the list on the left to click on for the information you need.

You may also be able to use this site:

http://mygov.governmentguide.com/mygov/dbq/officials/


Do it now.

[RedEagle]

22. Back Up

Kick!

[Myra]

23. Will do.

Kick

[RedEagle]

24. Thanks Myra

It's not hard, doesn't take much time, the links and info are up top. Write the guy and tell us here.

[dusty64]

25. Kick!

:kick:

[ParanoidPat]

26. Every letter, fax and phone call helps folks!

PLEASE write or call Kevin Shelley and YOUR state officials TODAY!

Get back up there!

:kick:

[RedEagle]

27. Embezzlers?

Hey, there is an address to a request for a congressional investigation.

What are you waiting for?

And write Shelley while you're at it!

[shirlden]

28. Hey Duers, put your fingers to work

E-mail, snail-mail, cell or land. Sock it to the SOS. Praise him abundently.

Then come back here and post what you did. Let's keep this one on the front page for the weekend.

:kick:

[madfloridian]

29. BBV made the Gator forums...Swamp Gas Forums.

drip drip drip
http://www.gatorcountry.com/swampgas/index.php?showtopic=12525

You just have to read some of the responses. Great stuff.

On Edit: Some is a little weird, what you might expect from Lord Gators, etc. Getting publicity though.

[RedEagle]

30. OK, CBS was at the meeting where Shelley made his speech...

...according to reports.

They'll want to do a follow up story, or more get more related footage.

What better visual than a room full of thank you notes, letters, and cards from America.

Tell Shelley he done good and SWAMP his office!

It might get more coverage for the issue.

Besides, Shelley deserves it!

[RedEagle]

31. We really want CBS talking to Shelley again

C'mon, human interest angle, make it snow in Shelley's office.

Kick!

[BevHarris]

32. RedEagle is hitting key points -- we need to displace the big 4

Actually, there are a couple others behaving irresponsibly too --

This is not about "getting" a voter verified paper ballot, it is about choosing the manufacturers who already have one. The Big 4 (Diebold, ES&S, Sequoia and Hart Intercivic) are now quoting the "extra" cost they will invoke whereas the companies that built their systems for a paper ballot in the first place do NOT cost more.

The efforts are working. The one beef I have is the strengthening of the audit procedures, because without those, the paper ballot won't matter. See the editorial and expose on the front page of http://www.blackboxvoting.org for info on what is needed.

Bev

[RedEagle]

33. The best things you could do Bev

Is rewrite this request and post it yourself. You get more attention than any of the rest of us.

We could litterally cause CBS to have to go back to Sacramento for a follow up. The way the story is unfolding, they will probably be back in January. Imagine Shelley showing them stacks of mail thanking him for standing up for accountable democracy.

All the information is in the first post.

Then call me and John G.

[RedEagle]

34. Make CBS go Back to Sacremento for a Snow Report!

Kick!