Today,
Voter Action announced two new efforts in their fight for election integrity. In Alemeda County California, they are insisting the Sequoia touchscreens not be used until they've been independently tested. In Wisconsin, they've petitioned to have the Diebold touchscreens decertified.
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Press releases follows...
Alameda Voters File Suit Against County to Ensure Anti- Hacking Testing of Sequoia E-Voting Systems Before Nov. 7
Board of Supervisors mandated "security vulnerability testing" by a third party - yet contract defers to Sequoia on testing and County Counsel can provide no proof that the system is safe from hacks
San Francisco, CA, October 4, 2006 -- A group of Alameda County, California voters, coordinated by the nonprofit Voter Action, filed suit today in Alameda County Superior Court to block the use of the county's new Sequoia touch screen electronic voting system in November and in future elections until the system has passed independent, expert security vulnerability testing. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted to require thorough, independent vulnerability testing as a condition before payment - but the county's contract with Sequoia, from after the board's vote, defers to Sequoia on which tests to conduct and does not stipulate that the testing be done by a third party.
"Alameda voters are demanding the right to a fair election - one that ensures that the candidate with the most votes wins", said Robert Friese, counsel for the plaintiffs, and a partner in Shartsis Friese, LLP in San Francisco, which is providing pro bono legal support on the suit. "The Registrar of Voters has the charge to ensure election security."
Read the full press release here.
Voter Action Asks State to Decertify Touch-Screen Voting Machines: Machines Inherently Prone to Fraud
Brookfield, WI. October 4, 2006 -- Today Voter Action Wisconsin filed a petition with the Wisconsin State Elections Board asking them to decertify direct record electronic (touch-screen) voting machines.
"Wisconsin has always been a leader in the regulation and administration of elections," said Mike Wittenwyler, attorney for Voter Action Wisconsin. "By decertifying this equipment, Wisconsin will set a national example on the importance of election integrity. These machines are inherently prone to fraud. Until touch screen machines are replaced, the state must take steps to ensure that security procedures are followed and voter integrity preserved."
"Wisconsin should provide meaningful accessibility, not an inferior and untrustworthy system," said Holly Jacobson, co- director of Voter Action. "Electronic voting system breakdowns have wreaked havoc in recent state primaries, disenfranchising thousands of voters and calling into question election results. The serious security flaws inherent in electronic voting technology - confirmed in a new study by Princeton University experts last week-- underscore the need for more secure and verifiable voting systems."
Read the full press release here.
Voter Action
email: info@voteraction.org
web: http://www.voteraction.org