Member Opinion Poll on Proposed ACM Position on Voting Systems (fwd)

[Paul Walmsley <paul@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

wow.  ACM is polling its members about computerized voting.  If you're a 
member, take a look at this E-mail.


- Paul

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 1 Jul 2004 18:39:08 -0400 (EDT)
From: polls@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Member Opinion Poll on Proposed ACM Position on Voting Systems

Dear ACM Member,

On behalf of ACM's senior leadership, I am writing to ask for your feedback regarding 
an information technology policy issue on which ACM plans to provide input to policymakers.

1. Brief Background

Periodically, ACM uses its expertise to comment on computing and information technology issues 
that have significant societal consequences or that are considered important to the health 
of the computing discipline and profession.  ACM input is intended to assist policymakers 
in developing a deeper understanding of issues, particularly as they affect ACM members 
and the broader community. Recent member feedback makes it clear that members want to see 
ACM engage in this kind of activity, particularly if steps are taken to educate members 
on what the issues are and why they are important. In January we polled ACM members to elicit 
feedback on the issue of expanding U.S. legal protections for collections of data. Over 5,000 
ACM members chose to participate.

2. Why We Want Your Feedback

ACM Council has been asked by USACM (the U.S. Public Policy Committee of ACM) to issue 
a statement concerning the risks and vulnerabilities inherent in many voting systems in use today.  
As you may be aware, the deployment of many computer-based electronic voting systems has been 
criticized by technologists for failing to provide physical records to ensure that votes have been 
cast accurately and that meaningful physical records of votes exist.

While this request is motivated by recent U.S. state and federal legislation, this is not 
a U.S.-specific issue.  Governments all over the world are turning to computer-based electronic 
voting systems to replace outdated punch-card and lever machines in the conduct of public elections.

Accordingly, ACM Council encourages all members to register their opinion, regardless of 
geographical location.

3. What You Can Do

Please visit the ACM website at https://campus.acm.org/polls/ within the next two weeks to review 
background information on of the issue of deploying computer-based electronic voting systems, 
including the views of organizations on either side of the issue.  Then read the proposed ACM policy 
statement and respond to the brief questionnaire with your feedback as indicated on the website.

ACM will track the responses and post results when the survey is completed.

Thank you for your participation and help in enabling ACM to develop policy statements and positions 
that reflect the thinking and insight of ACM members.

John White
ACM Chief Executive Officer

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you would like to be excluded from future mailings from ACM, please reply to this message with 
the word "Unsubscribe" in the subject.  Please also include the email on record, as it appears below.