Language of LWV Shift in Position

["Pete Klammer" <pklammer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: Joseph Holder 

 Subject: [Fwd: [voterweststeering] Language of LWV Shift in Position]

The following came from another list. 
I like the fact that the national league has given the individual states the 
freedom to take a position on  particular voting systems for their 
individual states. It is also important they are saying that the four criteria 
required shall be the benchmark by which to make evaluations. Now it is 
important that local leagues work with their local election officials and make 
sure that every voting system is "secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible". That would 
include: 
That any voting system and the procedures for its use is secure from 
manipulation, fraud, mistakes, and bias. 
That any voting system adopted is 
accurate in both recording and counting, and audited to confirm 
accuracy. 
That any voting system provide a means for a manual recount capable of 
showing the original intent of the voter. 
That any voting system be 
accessible to every voter so they may vote in secret. 
Jody 
> Dear Fellow 
>   League Members,

  A majority of the delegates representing local leagues at national convention

voted to change the national leagues position which had opposed voter verified paper trails as a solution of concerns about the security of the ballot in touch screen voting systems.

The LWVUS interpretation of the position on 'Citizen's Right to Vote' will now read:

 In order to ensure integrity and voter confidence in elections, the LWVUS supports the implementation of voting systems and procedures that are secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible."

You can read the details of the report from the president of the LWVUS Kay Maxwell below.

Yours,
Nancy Bickel
Outgoing president

June 22, 2004

To:             State and Local League Presidents

From:           Kay J. Maxwell, LWVUS President

Subject:        Citizen's Right to Vote Resolution

Below is the full text of the motion adopted by delegates to our 46th national convention.  The League has a long tradition of reaching agreement through deliberative, democratic processes.  There was disagreement with the LWVUS stance opposing a Voter-Verified Paper Trail (VVPT).  At convention, by following League process, we arrived at a revised interpretation of our "Citizen's Right to Vote" position.

The convention resolution substituted principles and criteria - "secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible" - for the language that previously took a stand on a type of technology, i.e., an individual paper confirmation for each ballot, or voter-verified paper trail (VVPT).  Thus the League has moved from taking a stand on types of technology to taking a stand on the goals or principles any particular technology must fulfill.   The criteria - "secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible" - are not code words for VVPT or for any other type of technology.

This revised stance, based on the "Citizen's Right to Vote" position, means that:

Ø       The League neither supports nor opposes any type of technology per se, such as Direct Recording Electronic voting machines (DREs), VVPT, or optical scan.

Ø       Leagues may advocate for the four criteria, but it would not be appropriate to advocate for or against a type of technology, as indicated above, since that would be inflexible and would undermine technological innovation.

Ø       Because election laws and current equipment are different in each state, Leagues in each state may support particular voting systems appropriate to them, including the management, operational and polling place procedures associated with the equipment. But before lobbying for or against a particular voting system, the system as a whole should be evaluated against the criteria, and only those that meet all four criteria may be supported.

We ask that Leagues consult with the LWVUS before taking action in order to ensure that the League speaks with one voice in the application of this revised interpretation of the "Citizen's Right to Vote" position.

The following is the text of the motion made by the President of the LWV of Minnesota and passed by convention delegates:

    "Whereas there is strong disagreement among League members on the interpretation of the position on 'Citizen's Right to Vote' that the LWVUS has taken on whether a Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail should be a requirement with Direct Recording Electronic Voting,

    Be it resolved that LWVUS remove the following wording from its interpretation:  The LWVUS supports an individual audit capacity for the purposes of recounts and authentication of elections for all voting systems.  The LWVUS does not believe that an individual paper confirmation for each ballot is required to achieve these goals. An individual paper confirmation for each ballot would undermine disability access requirements, raise costs and slow down the purchase or lease of machines that might be used to replace machines that don't work.  The experts that we have consulted say that there are many safeguards other than an individual paper ballot confirmation that can protect the sanctity of the ballot and that other issues are far more important in safeguarding our election systems.

    The LWVUS interpretation of the position on 'Citizen's Right to Vote' will now read:  In order to ensure integrity and voter confidence in elections, the LWVUS supports the implementation of voting systems and procedures that are secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible."

The LWVUS Board is working through the application of this revised stance and will send additional guidance.  In the interim this message should provide an initial basis for a shared understanding among Leagues of the action taken at convention. 
  
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