RE: 46 DAYS TILL ELECTION DAY! - CAN WE PROTECT THE VOTE?

["alkolwicz" <alkolwicz@xxxxxxxxx>]

Bob,

I think that you understand that votes on absentee ballots are counted, in
those counties that use optical scan at all, using the optical scan
equipment.

I hope that you correct your promotional materials to remove the suggestion
that people who have a chance to vote in person on a paper ballot should
vote absentee.

People might be better off voting absentee than they are voting by DRE.  But
they are not better off voting absentee when they can vote early or in their
precinct using a true paper ballot.

Cheers,

Al

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Mcgrath [mailto:mcgrath_mcnally@xxxxxxx] 
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 8:35 AM
To: AlKolwicz@xxxxxxxxx; cvv-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
bob.mcgrath@xxxxxxxxxx; cmehesy@xxxxxxxxxxx; donna@xxxxxxxxxxxx;
mlambie@xxxxxxxxxxx; PKlammer@xxxxxxx; peter.raich@xxxxxxxx;
TresCeeA@xxxxxxx
Subject: RE: 46 DAYS TILL ELECTION DAY! - CAN WE PROTECT THE VOTE?

Al,

We have been unable to figure out how to get the county election officials 
to offer paper ballots in precincts where DRE's are used.  We have heard 
stories of how central tabulators in precincts using optical scanners can 
just as easily be corrupt.  I am willing to let voters who vote on paper and

have that optically scanned continue to do so, but it continues to be a risk

relative to whether there is any chance for audits of those optical scans.  
50 pre-selected ballots compared against optical scanners is hardly a 
significant comparison, but that is what they've reduced us to.
>
>Bob,
>
>
>
>You are making a big mistake encouraging voters, who have the option to 
>vote
>on a paper ballot in their precinct, to vote by absentee instead.  Many of
>them will lose their vote altogether.
>
>
>
>For voters who have the choice of voting using a paper ballot in their
>precinct or in an early voting location - they should do so.
>
>
>
>Al
>
>
>
>
>
>Al Kolwicz
>
>
>
>CAMBER
>
>Citizens for Accurate Mail Ballot Election Results
>
>2867 Tincup Circle
>
>Boulder, CO 80305
>
>303-494-1540
>
>AlKolwicz@xxxxxxxxx
>
>www.users.qwest.net/~alkolwicz
>
>http://coloradovoter.blogspot.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>   _____
>
>From: Mcgrath, Bob___PAIC_Mkt [mailto:bob.mcgrath@xxxxxxxxxx]
>Sent: Saturday, September 18, 2004 4:37 PM
>To: Mcgrath, Bob___PAIC_Mkt
>Subject: 46 DAYS TILL ELECTION DAY! - CAN WE PROTECT THE VOTE?
>
>
>
>Weekly Newsbrief
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Two events You Can Support:
>
>Sunday, Sept. 26 - "Just Desserts" Forum features Films & Desserts
>
>Arvada United Methodist Church, 68th & Carr St., 303-421-5135, 7:00 - 9:00
>p.m.
>
>"Trouble in Paradise" & "Invisible Ballots" Movies & Q&A on Protect Your
>Vote
>
>Come see Trouble in Paradise, a movie detailing the problems continuing in
>Florida in the 2002 elections, showing why fair elections in 2004 may not 
>be
>possible.  This will be followed by clips from Invisible Ballots, a film
>produced by True Vote Maryland, a citizens activist group similar to
>Coloradoans for Voting Integrity, detailing the problems with electronic
>voting machines.  Desserts and coffees, teas and other refreshments will be
>provided with time to meet and discuss the films.  We will be asking people
>to support the Sept. 29th rally.
>
>Wednesday, Sept. 29 - "Don't Let the Computer Eat Your Vote" Rally
>
>West Steps, State Capitol, downtown Denver, 12 noon - 1:00 p.m.
>
>Come join with other citizens to express your desire for trustworthy
>elections in November.  We will be asking for voter verifiable paper 
>ballots
>with 1% automatic manual audits of all machine-counted ballots, to ensure
>there are no opportunities for malfunctions or malfeasance in this year's
>critically important elections.  Come hear various political candidates 
>from
>major parties discuss their support of verifiable voting and sign a pledge
>for trustworthy elections.  Co-sponsored by the Coloradoans for Voting
>Integrity and the Rocky Mt. Peace & Justice Center of Boulder.
>
>This critical election, 1/3 of Colorado voters will use insecure electronic
>machines with no possibility of recount. Many others will have their votes
>counted by optical scan machines, which are subject to the same problems of
>error and fraud as electronic voting machines.  The Secretary of State has
>ignored the petitions of 14,000 Coloradoans for voter-verified paper 
>ballots
>in all elections. We demand paper ballots, hand counted. Please come out 
>and
>help protect our elections. Carpool from Boulder at Table Mesa Park and 
>Ride
>at 11 a.m.(Table Mesa Road I-36). For more information, call 
>303-444-6981x5.
>
>
>
>For more info on this issue, go to
>http://www.verifiedvoting.org/resources/hr2239_volunteers/Introduction-5-pa
g
>es.pdf or to www.cfvi.org
>
>
>
>Other Actions:
>
>CFVI has explored legal action but has been unable to pursue a lawsuit due
>to unavailability of Colorado-based facts with which to bring such a
>preliminary injunctions.  Our actions will instead now focus upon our
>HOTLINE, collecting HAVA COMPLAINTS, ruthlessly pursuing MEDIA AND
>ADVERTISING, and building COALITION WITH OTHER GROUPS.
>
>
>
>We are now in need of funds to execute an ad campaign about our hotline and
>to educate the public about verifiable voting in Colorado.  We have tried
>approaching the media and they have turned a deaf ear or have mocked our
>efforts as that of "whiners, critics, liberals and progressives who don't
>understand the security measures already in place by our great leaders."
>
>
>
>We have been meeting weekly for the past month, developing outreach
>campaigns to county election officials, to political candidates in 
>Colorado,
>and pursuing our U.S. Congressional representatives.  We can still use your
>help in telephone or personal follow-up to the information packets that 
>have
>already been sent to over 350 individuals who can make a difference by
>speaking out or by opting to offer voters a choice of paper ballots in the
>polling place.  If you can help make phone calls or talk to any of these
>candidates or county election officials, we NEED YOU!
>
>
>
>Our Current Advice:
>
>Due to our inability to halt the use of un-auditable electronic voting
>machines, and due to our inability to call for a statistically significant
>manual audit of all optical scanners, we are calling on all Colorado
>citizens to do the following:
>
>
>
>1. Vote absentee.  Order your absentee ballot by October 3rd.
>
>2. Cast your absentee ballot IN PERSON, AND AS LATE AS POSSIBLE (THE DAY
>BEFORE OR THE DAY OF THE ELECTION).
>
>3. Encourage everyone you know to NOT vote early or vote in precinct 
>voting.
>If someone misses the absentee deadline, have them vote provisional.
>
>4. Those voters voting provisional should go to the precinct location and
>submit themselves WITHOUT ID so they will be given a provisional paper
>ballot.  Those people will be given a phone number to call to see if their
>ballot was counted within 12 days after the election.  Due to the extremely
>tight races in this year's elections, it is likely that there will be court
>challenges over provisional ballots, but at least they will be on paper.
>
>5. If you must vote on a machine, or if you are given a paper ballot to be
>optically scanned, again, try to vote provisional.  Optical scanner
>tabulation software can just as easily be hacked into or compromised as the
>electronic voting machines.
>
>6. If you experience or know of anyone who experiences any problems in
>voting on election day, we will be providing a voter hotline to call with
>such reports.  There is also a Protect the Vote Hotline operated by People
>for the American Way.  Both hotlines will be advertised and promoted via 
>the
>media before and during election day.
>
>7. We will be facilitating election complaints using the Help America Vote
>Act provisions.  Stay tuned for details on this.
>
>
>
>This is the election of our lifetime.  Please vote as if your life, and the
>life of our democracy, depends upon it.
>
>
>
>Bob McGrath, Director
>Coloradoans for Voting Integrity
>355 Teller Ste 200
>Lakewood, CO 80226
>Tel. 303.231.1031
>  <http://www.cfvi.org> http://www.cfvi.org
>