Re: Transparent Voting: support SB05-198 by Tuesday

[Evan Daniel Ravitz <evan@xxxxxxxx>]

Congratulations for a bill moving us in the right direction.

Note that this part is incorrect:

4. Existing laws that prohibit manual counts will be repealed.

Existing Colorado law doesn't prohibit manual counting. It says that
if the original count is electronic, all RECOUNTS must also be
electronic:

Colorado Revised Statute 1-10.5-108. Method of recount.

Statute text
(1) The recount shall be of the ballots cast, and the votes shall be
recorded on sheets other than those used at the election.

(2) Unless otherwise directed by the secretary of state, the ballots
cast shall be recounted utilizing the same procedures, methods, and
processes that were utilized for the original count of the ballots
cast.

History
Source: L. 99: Entire article added with relocations, p. 487,  13,
effective July 1. L. 2001: Entire section amended, p. 301,  4,
effective August 8.

Annotations
Editor's note: This section was formerly numbered as 1-10-306.

http://198.187.128.12/colorado/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=fs-main.htm&2.0


On Mon, 21 Mar 2005, Neal McBurnett wrote:

> Please contact your state senators in support of SB05-198 and
> the recommendations of Coloradans for Voting Integrity (CFVI).
>
> A major voting reform bill is before the Senate that needs your
> attention.
>
> Over the last several months members of CFVI together with Common
> Cause and other organizations have been working with Colorado
> legislators to refine and amend existing state laws, to make the
> election process more open and transparent, and to introduce new
> legislation that will assure the integrity of electronic voting
> machines.
>
> On Tuesday, March 22, an important bill will be heard in the Senator
> Local Government Committee that addresses many of the concerns of
> CFVI. The Gordon / Madden bill (SB05-198), while it does not provide
> for everything that CFVI would like, does make landmark strides in the
> right direction. In its current form the bill will write into law
> these major achievements:
>
> 1. Every voting machine will be required to produce a VOTER- VERIFIED
> PERMANENT PAPER RECORD, recording every choice for every race and
> issue the elector voted on;
>
> 2. Statewide audits of 2% of the vote will be mandated for every
> primary and general election.
>
> 3. Audits of the election will be manual counts of the VOTER- VERIFIED
> PERMANENT PAPER RECORDs.
>
> 4. Existing laws that prohibit manual counts will be repealed.
>
> 5. These laws are to go into effect in all elections after January 1,
> 2006. (This date is important as some wish to push it to 2008).
>
> To that end, we urge you to contact state senators of the local
> government committee or your state senator in support of the above
> measures and the recommendations of the legislative committee of
> Coloradoans for Voting Integrity. Urge them to support SB05-198 as it
> meets the above 5 requirements.
>
> You can view the publicized bill on the state website:
> http://www.leg.state.co.us/
>
> Senate Local Government Committee:
>
> Deanna Hanna, Chair 303-866-4857 <deanna.hanna.senate@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Peter Groff, Vice-Chair 303-866-4864 <peter.groff.senate@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Bob Bacon, 303-866-4841 <bob.bacon.senate@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Lewis Entz, 303-866-4871 <lewis.entz.senate@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Ed Jones, 303-866-6364 <ed.jones.senate@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Ken Kester, 303-866-4877 <ken.kester.senate@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Lois Tochtrop, 303-866-4863 <lois.tochtrop.senate@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Background: Colorado currently is in the dark ages for election law.
> We have the ability to remedy that, and put ourselves in the forefront
> of election reform.  The proposed legislation is some of the best
> currently on the table which has the best chance of passing.  The
> hearing on 3/21 is the first step.  It will then go to the Senate
> floor, then back to committee in the house, and then it will be heard
> again in the legislature.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Robert McGrath
> Director CFVI.
>
> Laurie Bretz
> Acting Director CFVI.
>