Voting and Vidal
“Half of the American people never read a newspaper. Half never voted for president. One hopes it is the same half.” - Gore Vidal
America has one of the worst voting records in the free world. In the last presidential election, about 45 percent of those eligible to cast a vote did so. Compare that to recent free elections in Australia 96%, Indonesia 93% and Belgium 91%.
Democratic Rep. Maurice Hinchey, is a co-sponsor H.R. 811: Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007.
It will be voted upon in the House of Representatives in June and deserves every voter's attention. This bill would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require a voter-verified paper ballot.
Last year the Brennan Center For Justice at NYU School of Law, found that “most of the electronic voting machines used in the U.S. are unreliable, subject to error and so vulnerable to attack that a single person could use corrupt software to swing enough votes to change the outcome of a Senate race without detection.”
The Brennan Center For Justice recommendations are reflected in the Holt-Davis bill. Among other things H.R. 811 would:
* Ban paperless electronic voting systems
* Ban most wireless components in voting systems that could make them vulnerable to a hacking attack
* Let the Election Assistance Commission select testing labs at random to certify voting machines, ending the practice of vendors paying and choosing their own.
* Ensure that the voting process allows for access to those with disabilities.
* Prohibit connection of any voting equipment component to the Internet at any time.
* Prohibits turning away voters at a polling station because of “problems with or shortages of equipment, ballots, or supplies.”
* Requires independent auditing of votes for federal races.
The Senate is expected to include similar language in its bill S.559, and the hope is that this legislation would be in effect by the presidential election in 2008.
America has one of the worst voting records in the free world. In the last presidential election, about 45 percent of those eligible to cast a vote did so. Compare that to recent free elections in Australia 96%, Indonesia 93% and Belgium 91%.
Democratic Rep. Maurice Hinchey, is a co-sponsor H.R. 811: Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007.
It will be voted upon in the House of Representatives in June and deserves every voter's attention. This bill would amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require a voter-verified paper ballot.
Last year the Brennan Center For Justice at NYU School of Law, found that “most of the electronic voting machines used in the U.S. are unreliable, subject to error and so vulnerable to attack that a single person could use corrupt software to swing enough votes to change the outcome of a Senate race without detection.”
The Brennan Center For Justice recommendations are reflected in the Holt-Davis bill. Among other things H.R. 811 would:
* Ban paperless electronic voting systems
* Ban most wireless components in voting systems that could make them vulnerable to a hacking attack
* Let the Election Assistance Commission select testing labs at random to certify voting machines, ending the practice of vendors paying and choosing their own.
* Ensure that the voting process allows for access to those with disabilities.
* Prohibit connection of any voting equipment component to the Internet at any time.
* Prohibits turning away voters at a polling station because of “problems with or shortages of equipment, ballots, or supplies.”
* Requires independent auditing of votes for federal races.
The Senate is expected to include similar language in its bill S.559, and the hope is that this legislation would be in effect by the presidential election in 2008.
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