RE: URGENT: SoS Rejects Citizen's Sample Count / Halicki Claims Hart NOT Paper Ballot System

["Robert Mcgrath" <mcgrath_mcnally@xxxxxxx>]

There are two additional resources for acting upon this news:

1. The Coloradoans for Voting Integrity will be hosting a half-day training 
event this Saturday, from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.  The concluding panel will 
be outlining strategies for citizen involvement, and included in that will 
be recommendations to support Al Kolwicz's proposed resolution for 
verifiable voting in the caucuses next Tuesday and to oppose CO bill 1227 
this year.

2. CFVI will be issuing a Position Statement on HR 2239 and on Verifiable 
Voting.  We will be approaching state voting integrity groups across the 
country as well as national groups who may wish to affiliate with this 
education and advocacy campaign.  We hope to approach a legislator to carry 
an amendment to 2239 to which we can refer all citizen groups and voters to 
be able to support 2239 to take effect this year and obtain verification of 
the count and not just of the vote.  (i.e,, non-machine counted ballots).

Long story short, to put it in our friend Evan's words, keep it simple and 
ask for paper only in this year's election, but allow vote marking machines 
for accessibility and language assistance.

If you haven't yet indicated whether you are attending the CFVI event this 
Saturday, PLEASE CONSIDER DOING SO.   A decent turnout will help motivate 
others to get involved as well as provide an opportunity to meet and network 
with each other.  This represents an ideal opportunity for any Boulder 
activitists to also strategize about next steps in your particular 
situation.

Questions?  Go to www.cfvi.org or call me at 303-460-1825 days.

Bob McGrath, Director
Coloradoans for Voting Integrity



> From: "Joe Pezzillo" <jpezzillo@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: cvv-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,  "CVV Steering Committee" 
> <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> CC: "Evan Daniel Ravitz" <evan@xxxxxxxx>, toso@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,  
> "Clay Evans" <evansc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, michael@xxxxxxxx,  "Barry Satlow" 
> <bsat@xxxxxxxxxxx>,  "Robert Mcgrath" <mcgrath_mcnally@xxxxxxx>, 
> valenty@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,  "HIllary Hall" <chair@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, 
> joel@xxxxxxxx,  commissioners@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, romanoff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, 
>  "Sam Fuqua" <sam@xxxxxxxx>, "Alice Madden" <repmaddenhd10@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, 
>  llacy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Judd Golden" <juddgolden@xxxxxxxxxxx>,  "Jason 
> Salzman" <jason@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, crystal_boulder@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: URGENT: SoS Rejects Citizen's Sample Count / Halicki Claims Hart 
> NOT Paper Ballot System
> Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2004 11:01:46 -0600
>
>
> Boulder County CVV Members and Other Concerned Citizens:
>
> Unfortunately, again we have some pressing issues to deal with in Boulder 
> County relating to our new voting system:
>
> 1) The SoS by way of Drew Durham has rejected the proposal by Boulder 
> County citizens to perform a statistically significant hand count of 
> ballots to verify our voting system. The hand count has been considered a 
> crucial component to verify the trustworthiness of any mechanical tally 
> system. Without it, we have no way to verify the system is accurate 
> (despite any vendor's false claims about their systems being perfect or 
> elections officials claims that they know better than the citizens they 
> supposedly represent). Therefore, unless it is definitively established as 
> part of the procedure, I will suggest that we re-mobilize ASAP to 
> vigorously oppose any unverifiable system being purchased by or used in 
> Boulder County. Perhaps Evan Ravitz would like to detail his complete hand 
> count procedure and now might be the time for us to consider such 
> alternative approaches since we clearly cannot rely on State or Local 
> elections officials (or the Vendors they appear to be working for) to 
> provide trustworthy elections as we've patiently requested.
>
> 2) In learning about this, Tom Halicki, Boulder County Elections Manager, 
> has said that the Hart system they propose to purchase IS NOT BASED ON 
> PAPER BALLOTS, instead the paper ballots are simply a way to create 
> electronic ballots via scanning, and these electronic ballots will be the 
> official record of the vote. If this is the case, I will URGE that we 
> re-mobilize to oppose any such system being purchased with our taxpayer's 
> money. We have been 100% forthcoming in our demand for paper ballots, I 
> invite the Boulder County Clerk's office to be 100% forthcoming with their 
> plans, including use of any non-paper ballot systems in Boulder County in 
> opposition to the Citizen's Requirements for Trustworthy Elections.
>
> As Tom is a subscriber to the CVV Discussion mailing list, I invite him to 
> clarify both issues ASAP.
>
> Please Note that Colorado House Bill 1227 which will be voted on by the 
> appropriations committee tomorrow will make it much harder for We the 
> People to challenge not only such closed-door activities and behaviors by 
> the Secretary of State and county officials, it will also make it virtually 
> impossible for us to verify our elections systems.
>
> We need to have a full group meeting as soon as possible to discuss these 
> developments and determine the depth and breadth of our response, ranging 
> from citizen actions to possible legal and electoral challenges.
>
> If you care about Trustworthy Elections in Boulder County and beyond, your 
> immediate action is needed.
>
> Joe

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