I have been covering the problems with touch screen voting machines for some time, pointing out how almost every Tech-savvy person who analyzes them at all finds them shoddy and unreliable. Having a real, legally recountable paper ballot is the only way to have elections that we can have any confidence in.

Right now we have two days to get Congress to act to ensure a paper ballot whatever technology is used for voting. That would go a long way to preserving our rights. VoteTrust USA has the following URGENT action alert (two days to act!!!):

URGENT ACTION ALERT!
TELL CONGRESS TO PASS EMERGENCY PAPER BALLOT BILLS NOW!

With only two days remaining before Congress recesses until after the November 7 election, and with the failures and malfunctions of electronic voting machines finally receiving real attention from the mainstream media, emergency bills have been introduced in both the House and Senate to make contingency paper ballots available in all touchscreen jurisdictions. On Tuesday, Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Chris Dodd (D-CT), and Russ Feingold (D-WI) introduced S. 3943, the "Confidence in Voting Act" that would provide funding to jurisdictions for the printing of emergency paper ballots, and on Wednesday, Rep. Rush Holt introduced a similar mesasure, HR 6187, in the House.

This morning (Thursday, September 28) at 10 am the House Administration Committee will hold a previously scheduled -- and long awaited hearing on "Electronic Voting Machines: Verification, Security, and Paper Trails." The word on the Hill is that the Committee will discuss this emergency legislation during the hearing. VoteTrustUSA will be at the hearing, providing background information to Committee members, and hosting a press event after the hearing. This is our last, best chance to make a difference in the 2006 election!

It All Comes Down to You! Your Calls Make a Difference. Call Your Representative NOW!

A flood of phone calls from constituents could be all it will take to break the roadblock at this critical moment. Pick up the phone NOW and call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-225-3121. Tell your Representative that Congress must pass HR 6187 before they adjourn, to make sure that every vote will count when voting machines malfunction or count votes incorrectly as they have in every primary this year.

If you don't know your Representative's name, click here and enter your zip code . You can also use this link to find your Representative's direct telephone number on Capitol Hill by clicking on his or her photo, which will appear once you've entered your zip code.

Then Immediately Call Both of Your Senators

As soon as you hang up with your Representative's office, call the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121 to speak with both of your Senators' offices. Tell them to pass S. 3943 before Congress adjourns to ensure that every vote will count in November. If you don't know both your Senators' names, click here and enter your zip code to find out. You can also use this link to find your Senator's direct telephone number on Capitol Hill by clicking on his or her photo, which will appear once you've entered your zip code.

Every moment counts, so please don't delay. Make those phone calls as if our democracy depended on it -- because that's what it comes down to today.

Please forward this email to your friends, family and email list acquaintances and ask them to help you make sure everyone's vote counts in November!

Thank you for all you do to preserve our democracy!

Joan Krawitz
Executive Director
VoteTrustUSA

Now I do want to emphasize that systems with paper ballots are also open to fraud and problems. But with a paper ballot THERE IS A RECOURSE TO A RECOUNT. With touchscreen machines everything is done by the company that makes the machine--software, vote storage and tabulation...even recounts. There is no possibility of an independent, fair recount. We have to have a paper ballot. However, that is only the bare minimum. We also need non-partisan or bi-partisan election boards, not partisan boards like in Florida. And we need good people elected to Secretary of State positions throughout the nation. That is why some of us have Act Blue Pages featuring Secretary of State races. You can find my election protection page (which also includes Attorney General and other oversight positions), the Democracy for America Secretary of State Act Blue Page, and the SOS (Secretary of State) Project. All of these cover similar ground but your donations through any of them could help keep our elections fair.