We Are At A CrossRoads For Democracy in California
Our elections in California are at great risk of being secretly manipulated. We all remember the tragedies of the Florida and Ohio elections where partisan Secretaries of State acted on an agenda to get Bush into power - no matter what.
THE CHOICE IS CLEAR - WE ARE AT A CROSSROADS FOR DEMOCRACY IN CALIFORNIA
What is at risk? Here in California we must protect our 55 electoral votes and assure non-partisan elections!
Electing Bowen is absolutely essential to protecting the vote in California and leading the nation back to fair and accurate elections.
McPherson - For Secret Vote Counting
Bowen - Fighting for the Voters' Rights
His new voter registration database in LA county was rejecting 43% of new registrations in this county.
Sen. Bowen successfully challenged McPherson to back down on this extreme new policy.
McPherson certified Diebold voting machines for use in California despite his own tests showing 16 gaping security holes; the use of this illegal software code is proven to be easily hackable; a citizen's lawsuit has been filed.
Sen. Bowen came out the very next day & issued a press release stating this certification was illegal and publicly backing the citizen's lawsuit. Once elected as our next Secretary of State, Sen. Bowen would de-certify illegal voting software in California.
McPherson is opposed to auditing paper records to check results against electronic voting machines. Electronic-only-results is the ultimate "faith based voting" where you pray the machine is accurate. Without a paper record and a chain of custody security system, there is no way to challenge the electronic results.
Sen. Bowen's bill SB 370 was signed into law in 2005 & Opposed by McPherson
This bill requires elections officials, when conducting the 1% manual count required by law, to actually use the paper trail produced by electronic machines.
Paul Craft is a consultant to McPherson - Mr. Craft was Head of Florida Elections Division when many qualified voters lost their vote registrations. He advocates paperless voting machines and unsecure internet voting. It's hard to understand why he would be hired as a consultant after his performance in Florida.
Sen. Bowen seeks transparency and ethics in government and would bring integrity back to our elections. She will strengthen paper auditing procedures to give the voters a meaningful check on the electronic voting systems. Would she hire a questionable character in her office? Absolutely not.
June 2006 special election San Diego: Congressional race Bilbray vs. Busby race: 7 days after the election and prior to all the votes being counted, McPherson's office faxed early voting returns to Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert in Washington DC. This action permitted Hastert to do an early swearing in of Republican Bilbray -- AND eliminating state rights to contest the election or to a recount.
Sen. Bowen's proven track record shows us that she will protect voter's rights and enforce the law in California, not facilitate the elimination of state's rights. Her legislative history promoting transparency and open government is testimony to a philosophy of accountability. Her pending Senate Bill 1519 requires recount procedures to assure the voters of their rights to a paper record recount.
Election Integrity & Accountability for Voters - Legislation Thanks to Sen. Debra Bowen, our candidate for Secretary of State!
Bowen Bills- Passed and Pending (partial list)
SB 370 - Accessible Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail
Requires elections officials, when conducting the 1% manual count required by law, to actually use the AVVPAT produced by electronic machines. Signed into law in 2005. Opposed by McPherson.
SB 1235 - Early electronic machine votes audited; audits must be random, public and reported. Requires that all early votes cast on electronic voting machines be included in a 1% manual audit. Precincts or machines to be audited must be selected randomly. The audits must be public with the results reported in detail. Sent to Governor's desk.
SB 1519 - Voting systems : recount procedures
Requires procedures for recounting ballots, including absentee and provisional ballots, for each approved voting system. Sent to Governor's desk.
SB 1598 - Initiative, referendum, and recall petition disclosure
Requires signature gatherers to disclose whether they're paid and to list the biggest five contributors to the campaign. Sent to Governor's desk.
SB 1747 - Vote tabulators : inspection by citizen observers
Allows any bona fide association of citizens or a media organization to have up to two representatives each to check and review the preparation, programming, testing and operation of the election day tabulating devices. Sent to Governor's desk.
SB 1760 - Voting machine audit trail paper : 22 month integrity and readability
Requires that a voting system's paper ballots and the accessible voter-verified paper audit trail (AVVPAT) retain their integrity and readability for the 22 months that all election ballots and materials must last. Some voting systems use poor quality thermal paper. Signed into law.
SB 1725 - Absentee ballots arrival verification
Requires counties to "track" absentee ballots so a voter can check to see if their ballot arrived. Sent Governor's desk.
SB 1193 - Student poll workers
Allows schools to receive ADA funds for students who take the day off to work at the polls. Sent to Governor's desk.
SB 1822 - Organ and Bone Marrow Donors - Sent to Governor's desk .
SB 1699 - Identity Theft Prevention - Sent to Governor's desk .
SB 1016 - Voter information privacy
Extensive protections for information provided by voters on petitions and registration forms. Signed into law in 2005.
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