[Update: Today we learned that Rep. Jim Marshall of Georgia, like Rep. Boswell a Blue Dog Democrat, has expressed support for HR 811 even without the unfunded mandate amendment. The bill will not get to the floor until Friday, so there is time to contact Rep. Boswell, and be sure to tell him about Rep. Marshall!]
HR 811, the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act, is getting a vote this week. Passage of the bill is essential to a verifiable 2008 election. We need voter-verified paper records and random mandatory audits by 2008!
There is a potential amendment to the bill that needs to be defeated. An “unfunded mandate” amendment could be introduced that would delay the 2008 deadline for paper records and audits. This amendment is unnecessary. HR 811 now allows states and counties to purchase less expensive paper-trail printers for the 2008 election. And last spring Iowa passed funding for upgrades that meet the 2008 requirements of the bill (see line 10-21). The bill is probably going to the floor on Thursday so today is the day to act.
**Call Congressman Boswell TODAY at 202-225-3806 to tell him to oppose the unfunded mandate amendment to HR 811!**
More on the flip.
HR 811 is not perfect, and more will need to be done to protect the vote if it becomes law – much more. See an excellent piece by Matt Zimmerman of the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
But without HR 811, voters in at least 13 states will vote for the next President of the United States on unreliable, insecure paperless electronic voting machines. We have a chance to prevent this from happening.
**Call Congressman Boswell TODAY at 202-225-3806 to tell him to oppose the unfunded mandate amendment to HR 811!**
Thank you – again- for your support of verifiable elections!
P.S. Here is more information on funding and the 2008 deadline, via Kathy Dopp of the National Election Data Archive:
Together with the $300 Million authorized by the House, States have
$1.6+ Billion available in remaining HAVA funding and can afford to
meet the 2008 deadlines. See how much money your state has left of
HAVA funding on pp. 8 and 9 in the US Election Assistance report.
There is plenty of time for states with paperless electronic voting
systems to replace them with auditable voting equipment. See how long
it takes States to replace voting systems in Verified Voting’s How Long Does It Take to Change Voting Systems?”