Voting rights reform among workshops to be held at youth Powershift 2009 Conference

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From: Black Box Voting and Election Defense Alliance

Black Box Voting teaching youth activists how to do voting rights reform

[...]
Ten thousand young, politically motivated and organized voters are descending on Washington D.C. this weekend.

Bev Harris of Black Box Voting, and Nancy Tobi of Election Defense Alliance are co-producing the important election rights segment at the youth-based PowerShift 2009 Conference #powershift09, with a hands-on workshop titled "Citizens Gone Wild: Taking Control of Our elections". Here are highlights from an interview by Joan Brunwasser about this, with the full article currently headlined at OpEdNews.com - http://www.opednews.com/articles/Nancy-Tobi-On-her-way-to-by-Joan-Brunwasser-090225-434.html

OpEdNews: "What do you and your team hope to accomplish at PowerShift 2009?"

Tobi: "We will energize the next generation of election integrity activists so that we can propel the movement forward and keep up the fight to take control of our elections. The youth environmental movement is composed of the children of the information age and they show it. They are smart, organized, and very savvy. They were the force that put climate change and green economy on the agenda during the last two presidential elections, and they are the force that got out the youth vote in record numbers to sweep Obama into the White House.

...

"During Election 2008 Black Box Voting and Election Defense Alliance joined forces with the youth environmental voting movement to launch "Protect the Count". This was an election night action designed to bring citizen oversight into the polling places to oversee the vote count.

"The leaders of the youth environmental movement impressed me immediately with their quick understanding of election integrity issues that many "gray haired ponytails" in the election integrity movement are still arguing about. Many "old-timers" in the current election integrity movement are still wasting a lot of time trying to play DC politics, trying to pass legislation like the Holt Bill."

(See Brad Friedman's feature on Bev Harris and Black Box Voting's stance opposing the Holt Bill: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6943 )

Tobi: "The younger generation understands, almost intuitively it seems, the value of standing for your principles to gain what you really want rather than compromising in order to gain questionable "wins" at any cost.

"The new generation understands, for instance, the myth of clean coal as easily as they can understand the myth of verified voting. "Clean coal" is sold as a compromise to enable industry to continue practices - such as strip mining and burning fossil fuels - that are fundamentally destructive to the environment. "Verified voting" is sold as a compromise to enable industry to continue practices - such as replacing election night public vote counting with post-election spot checks of secret computerized vote counts - that are fundamentally destructive to democracy.

"When I worked with them on Election 2008 Protect the Count, the youth organizers understood immediately that the most important thing was to get out there to the polls and practice citizen oversight on the elections. They understood immediately that citizen oversight is probably the most important of the founding principles of our nation and many of our state constitutions. They had no problem understanding that this is the highest priority we have in regaining control over our elections. And they suffered no delay in getting out there to protect the count! In New Hampshire alone, I had people coming in to protect the count from San Francisco, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Germany!"

OpEdNews: "What else do you want our readers to know?"

Tobi: "I think it is telling that the youth movement gave themselves the moniker "Power Vote" and now "Power Shift." They know their power, they used their power in their vote, and now they intend to weild their power.

"Power is a beautiful metaphor for this amazing new generation...This is the kind of movement that gets things done, and it is exactly the movement that America needs now."
[...]


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FairVote's Democracy Innovator Awards winners

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From: FairVote

FairVote Announces Inaugural Democracy Innovator Awards

For Immediate Release: December 9, 2008 Contact: Rob Richie (301) 270-4616, rr@fairvote.org

FairVote, a national nonpartisan, nonprofit election reform and voting rights organization, yesterday announced the inaugural winners of its Democracy Innovator awards at the conclusion of a conference about innovative election reforms. FairVote will issue its Democracy Innovator annually in recognition of outstanding local, state and national leaders for their effective advocacy of innovative policies to improve our elections.

This year's 2008 winners are:

---National Reform: Senator Bill Nelson (FL) won for developing and introducing an omnibus package of needed electoral reforms that include direct election of the president and innovative ways to improve voter registration, secure elections and meaningful primaries. Sen. Nelson's legislative counsel Matt Nosanchuk accepted the award on behalf on Sen Nelson

---State Reform: Maryland state senator Jamin Raskin and Maryland state representative Sheila Hixson won for their leadership in Maryland in 2007 becoming the first state to adopt the National Popular Vote plan for presidential elections and for advancing several innovative proposals encouraging voter participation. Sen. Raskin accepted the award for himself and on behalf of Delegate Hixson.

---Local Reform: Shelby County (TN) commissioner and University of Memphis law professor Steven Mulroy won for his effective advocacy of instant runoff voting, which was supported this year by 71% of voters for future city elections in the City of Memphis, and for his ground-breaking law review articles about proportional voting systems and the Voting Rights Act. Commissioner Mulroy accepted the award.

"Each of these leaders has been a true inspiration to Americans across the country," said Rob Richie, executive director of FairVote. "They embody the spirit of innovation and bold leadership that defines our country."

FairVote is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that promotes such electoral reforms as universal voter registration; advance voter registration and civic learning for 16-year-olds; instant runoff voting for one-winner offices; the National Popular Vote plan for presidential elections; and proportional voting and redistricting reform for legislative elections. Musician and author Krist Novoselic heads FairVote's board, where he is joined by the New Yorker's Hendrik Hertzberg, former presidential candidate John B. Anderson, Advancement Project counsel Edward Hailes, Jr. and other reform leaders. For more information, contact Rob Richie at (301) 270-4616.

-end-


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Right to vote concerns for ex-criminals can be met

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From: Brennan Center for Justice

Get Out the Vote; There’s Still Time

By Garima Malhotra – 10/09/08

"This is the most important election you will ever, ever have voted in, any of you, since 1932," stated Vice-Presidential nominee Joe Biden during the Vice Presidential debate last week. Perhaps more than any in recent history, this year reminds us why the right to vote matters. But as a new report by the Brennan Center and ACLU points out, unfortunately a significant barrier to voting persists for a large group of eligible voters—elections officials across the country continue to give incorrect information about voter eligibility for people with criminal convictions.

Appropriately titled De Facto Disenfranchisement, the Brennan Center and ACLU report documents interviews conducted with hundreds of local elections officials in 15 states to determine how well they know their respective state felony disenfranchisement policies. The results are eye-opening and not very reassuring. Half the election officials interviewed in Colorado did not know that Coloradans on probation could vote, in a state where 46,000 people are currently on probation. Half the officials interviewed in Arizona did not know that their state law provides a process for people with more than one conviction to have their voting rights restored. Such widespread confusion among election officials could result in the de facto disenfranchisement of untold hundreds of thousand of eligible voters on Election Day.

But I am an optimist. Despite recent deadlines, in 29 states there is still time to get the correct information out there and ensure eligible voters can and do exercise their right to vote.

What can be done? For the states with registration deadlines just a few days away, there is an immediate need for education for local elections officials. Education or outreach is the only way we can correct the misinformation and inform citizens that in fact they are eligible to vote even if they've been told they are not. Now is the time to ensure that all citizens can exercise their fundamental rights as Americans.

Looking forward provides more opportunity for reform, and more reason for optimism. Rejected citizens rarely make a second attempt to find out about their voter eligibility. Receiving wrong information could discourage people not only from voting in this election, but in future elections as well. But a few common sense policy initiatives, like simplifying the law so all states restore voting rights to people automatically as soon as they are released from prison could prevent persistent confusion. In fact, Senator Feingold (D-WI) and Representative Conyers (D-MI) recently introduced the Democracy Restoration Act to do just that.

De Facto Disenfranchisement also recommends regular training of election officials and criminal justice officials on the law; notice provisions so that ex-offenders are familiar with their rights; and information sharing among criminal justice and election agencies. There is still hope, and for November, there is still time.

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Act on your legal rights as voters with the Voting Rights Enforcement Project

A ballot box.
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From: Campaign Legal Center

Voting Rights Enforcement Project Goes Live

Oct 9, 2008

With new reports of vote suppression efforts springing up almost daily, the Campaign Legal Center launched the Voting Rights Enforcement Project (VREP). Generic drafts of potential court filings for individuals, organizations and political parties who must resort to the courts to protect the fundamental rights of citizens to vote are now available . Various voting rights organizations, including the American Bar Association, DEMOS, the Election Protection coalition, and The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law are publicizing and linking to the VREP site and so that the filings can be utilized on Election Day and in the month preceding.

"A troubling pattern of vote suppression efforts has already emerged nationwide, particularly in battleground states and the election itself has the potential to become a train wreck as far as voters and democracy are concerned," said Campaign Legal Center Executive Director J. Gerald Hebert. "Even without efforts to suppress the vote, just the volume of new voter turnout may overwhelm the system and require court filings to protect voters."

The filings include those to extend polling hours when necessary, prevent voter intimidation efforts, violations of the Voting Rights Act, failures to provide bilingual voting materials or assistance and to address non- or late delivery of absentee ballots to qualified voters.

"Voters across the country are likely to face ballot shortages, faulty equipment, voter disqualification schemes, and other obstacles which may violate federal and state election laws," said Hebert. "The legal documents provided by the Voting Rights Enforcement Project will facilitate and expedite the process of securing court orders against those state or local election officials or others who take actions harmful to the electorate, be they deliberate or accidental."

Massive failures have been documented in recent elections and continued through this year's primaries. Thousands of Americans were disenfranchised as a result. The legal templates are designed to alleviate these problems by allowing voters or groups to go to court seeking an order to compel the extension of polling hours, reallocation of voting machines or the provision of adequate paper ballots at the polls.

Previously, information on the project was provided to national, state, and local party committees, as well as third party organizations and numerous community and grassroots organizations from coast to coast.

The Voting Rights Enforcement Project legal template documents are accessible on the Campaign Legal Center's website (www.campaignlegalcenter.org) and continue to be distributed via email to persons and groups across the country upon request. Additional generic legal documents will be added to the site between now and Election Day. The Legal Center's work on this project is a direct result of the generous financial assistance from the JEHT Foundation.

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Call your US Rep. and say YES to Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights

Government reform orgs. deliver news on major events within their areas of expertise. From: Public Citizen

Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights

We've all heard the news coming out of our financial markets. The United States government recently bailed out some big Wall Street banks, but it's now time to help consumers - people across the country who've been fleeced by predatory credit card practices during two decades of "anything goes" policy in Washington. While the large financial corporations on Wall Street are being bailed out of a mess that they created for themselves, millions of consumers on Main Street are still drowning in a sea of debt.

On July 31, 2008 the Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights, H.R. 5244, passed through the House Financial Services Committee despite vigorous opposition from the credit card industry. The industry is still fighting this bill, but we can pass it next week.

Take Action and write your representative today. Or better yet, CALL your representatives today to ask them to vote FOR the Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights, H.R. 5244, without any amendments that would stall or weaken the bill.

As the New York Times said, "The Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights would help rein in some of the worst abuses." Specifically, H.R. 5244 would:

• Stop unjustifiable interest rate increases on existing balances.
  
• End bait-and-switch contract clauses.
  
• Apply the consumer's payment proportionally between high and low rate balances.
  
• Stop "double cycle" billing, which requires consumers to pay interest on debts they've already paid off.
  
• Give the consumer a chance to set a fixed credit limit and avoid over the limit fees.
  
• Prohibit the granting of credit cards to consumers who are younger than 18 years-of-age.
  

Please take a moment out of your busy schedule - right now - to call or write your representative and tell them to support the Credit Cardholders Bill of Rights - without any amendments.

Once again, thank you for all that you do.

The Action Team

Public Citizen
action@citizen.org

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This is National Voter Registration Month- do your part today!

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From: League of Women Voters

Join the League of Women Voters' VOTE411.org Registration Challenge

The countdown to Election Day has begun! With less than five weeks left until deadlines in many states, are you, and your friends and family registered to vote?

Join the League of Women Voters' VOTE411.org Registration Challenge! Send this e-card to FIVE coworkers, friends and loved ones and encourage them to register by visiting www.VOTE411.org. VOTE411.org is the one-stop-shop for all your election needs. And with our online registration tool, absentee ballot and overseas voting information, registering to vote has never been easier.

This election is an important one for our country and the outcome is in your hands. Register to vote today and remember to head to the polls November 4th!

REGISTER HERE

Sincerely,

Mary G. Wilson
President, League of Women Voters of the United States

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Support National Homeless & Low Income Voter Registration Week, Sep. 21-27, 2008

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From: National Alliance to End Homelessness

September 21-27, 2008 is National Homeless & Low Income Voter Registration Week

Another important election year is approaching and we hope you will join us in ensuring everyone’s voice is heard. The National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, and the National Low Income Housing Coalition are honored to invite your organization to participate in National Homeless & Low Income Voter Registration Week on September 21-27, 2008 by hosting a voter registration drive or promoting voter education and participation.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty and the National Low Income Housing Coalition hosted a National Audio Conference to discuss plans for this week. Listen to a recording of the call.

Also, the National Coalition for the Homeless has made available “You Don’t Need A Home To Vote, a toolkit on conducting voter registration, education and mobilization.

Information on National Homeless and Low-Income Voter Registration Week
Since equal access to the right to vote is a crucial part of maintaining a true democracy, nonprofits and service agencies nationwide will dedicate the week towards registering homeless and low-income individuals to vote. For those unable to conduct voter registration drives, the week can also be used to educate community members on the upcoming general election.

As another organization dedicated to homeless empowerment and economic justice, we hope you will join us in this effort. With your support, we are confident we can reach more individuals not yet registered to vote.


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Voters' Rights Protection Project is for election day voting troubles

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From: Campaign Legal Center

Election Day Voter Protection Initiative Launched
Aug 13, 2008

The Campaign Legal Center today launched the Voters' Rights Protection Project, to provide generic drafts of potential court filings to individuals, organizations, and political parties who must resort to the courts to protect the fundamental rights of citizens to vote. In a letter today to both major parties and copies to the respective presidential campaigns, the Legal Center announced the project and said it would make the legal templates publicly available. Information announcing the project is also being sent to national, state, and local party committees, as well as third party organizations and numerous community and grassroots organizations from coast to coast.

"The legal documents being drafted by the Legal Center will facilitate and expedite the process of securing court orders against those state or local election officials or others who take actions harmful to the electorate," said J. Gerald Hebert, Executive Director and Director of Litigation for the Campaign Legal Center

The use of such legal templates, will allow individuals, as well as advocacy groups, political parties, and candidates to obtain pre-election or Election Day relief for a host of problems, including extension of polling hours, insufficient ballots, and prevention of voter harassment or intimidation.

[...] The legal template documents will be accessible on the Legal Center's website next month, and they will also be distributed via email to persons and groups across the country upon request. The Legal Center's work on this project is a direct result of the generous financial assistance from the JEHT Foundation.

.
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Tell your two US Senators to vote YES for full-vote Washington, DC representation

Public Citizen is asking us to call or write our US Senators in favor of having a US Representative for Washington, DC residents. Our more than half a million District of Columbia citizens have been paying federal income taxes, fighting in wars and all of the other things Americans have done over the years, but they don't have a vote in Congress!

Prominent constitutional scholars and former Congressmembers agree that they can legally have their own full-voting Congressmember. Why wait any longer? Please call both of your US Senators at the Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121; or, use Public Citizen's webpage to send them a message. Then email action@citizen.org with your senators' responses. Thank you

Our nation and states need basic electoral reforms to open up our democracy

Today, I submitted a letter to the editor to my local newspaper here in Abilene, Texas. This is a time-honored method of promoting an issue with the local community. Of course, national newspapers and magazines are also great opportunities to send your letters.

Having 10 years experience in third party politics, I have first-hand knowledge of the difficulties candidates such as Ralph Nader have in getting a foot-hold in our democratic system. I believe that third parties would be a much more serious and effective force in government if various fundamental electoral reforms, such as redistricting, ballot access requirements, public financing of elections and Instant Runoff Voting are instituted in the states and in Washington, DC.

Here is my letter; it may be edited at the newspaper's discretion when and if they publish it.

Dear Editor,

I am appalled that, after Ross Perot's popular run for president in 1992, the Texas legislature still has not eased ballot access requirements for third parties or independents. The ruling Republican and Democratic parties in this state think it is not in their interest to allow more competitors for their offices. But what about the people? Don't they deserve a more open political system that encourages a broad debate on the many issues that we face each election? This year, progressive Ralph Nader is offering solutions to positions not ever considered by today's three major candidates. Let's help Ralph gain ballot access in the coming days by signing his petition and allow him and his running mate advocation of better ballot access laws.

David Weller

Reflections on World Water Day 2008

The theme for World Water Day 2008 is "Sanitation Matters." This year's theme highlights the fact that "adequate sanitation to protect health is considered a fundamental human right." Unfortunately, for roughly half the developing world, safe and reliable water is not accessible. The result is the daily tragedy of waterborne disease, which claims thousands of lives each day.

"Safe water and sanitation are vital to human health and are critical for the stability of nations around the globe," said AWWA Executive Director Gary Zimmerman. "In North America, clean water is often taken for granted, but World Water Day creates an opportunity to think about the extraordinary value of our precious water supplies and advance water treatment and delivery systems.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are around 2.2 million per year worldwide who die from diarrheal diseases caused by poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water. Now that's a REAL water problem.

According to a British government minister, the world faces a future of "water wars", unless action is taken to prevent international water shortages and sanitation issues escalating into conflicts.

The warning came as a coalition of 27 international charities marked World Water Day by writing to British prime minister Gordon Brown demanding action to give fresh water to 1.1 billion people with poor supplies.

"If we do not act, the reality is that water supplies may become the subject of international conflict in the years ahead," said International Development minister Gareth Thomas. "We need to invest now to prevent us having to pay that price in the future."

A lack of political will remains the greatest obstacle to efforts to drastically reduce the number of people without access to basic sanitation and clean, running water, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, calling on the international community to take firmer and faster steps to tackle the problem.

“If we take up the challenge, the positive impact will reverberate far beyond better access to clean water,” Mr. Ban said in a message to mark World Water Day, which is celebrated today. This year's Day also coincides with the International Year of Sanitation.

“Every dollar invested in water and sanitation yields an estimate seven dollars worth of productive activity. And that comes on top of the immeasurable gains in cutting poverty, improving health and raising living standards.”

And of course, here in America, there are communities that struggle with water infrastructure issues (for instance, the colonias in the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas). The issue of water in the western US is growing every year as population grows and the climate warms. Make this day one of reflection on the life-giving gift of water, and how much it is needed by our neighbors in this country and around the world.

Don't miss OpenTheGovernment's Wed. March 19th 1:00pm to 2:30pm ET web cast for Sunshine Week 2008

OpenTheGovernment.org will be actively participating in next week's Sunshine Week 2008, a nation-wide look at government's role in society's needs for openness and transparency. Their newsletter this week gives a concise update on their Wednesday, March 19th 1:00pm to 2:30pm ET activities next week and how all of us can participate from wherever we are-- unfortunately, when I copied and pasted it from email into my blog, the text turned white. Here is information on the event from SunshineWeek.org events page:

Wednesday, March 19: OpenTheGovernment.org and several other associations are sponsoring the third annual Sunshine Week National Dialogue on Open Government and Secrecy. This year's panel discussions will focus on "Government Secrecy: Censoring Your Right to Know." The event will be webcast for free from the National Press Club to sites around the country. Satellite feeds will be available with prior registration and for a fee. Those interested can also attend at the Press Club. To see the additional sponsors and a list of speakers, as well as for registration information, visit the OpenTheGovernment.org Web site.

Call U.S. Attorney General Mukasey and ask him to meet with Common Cause

From Common Cause:

Over the seven years of the Bush Administration, the American justice system has taken quite a beating. From the denial of fundamental civil rights and civil liberties to the outright abuse of our Constitution – the integrity of our justice system is in jeopardy.

So, Common Cause is stepping up to the plate to restore our democracy's rule of law. Our first step was to ask new Attorney General Michael Mukasey for a meeting to express our concerns and recommendations. But he refused. I am writing to you today to ask you to make a simple, quick phone call to Attorney General Mukasey, urging him to meet with Common Cause.

Common Cause is running a telephone campaign. They are having difficulty getting U.S. Attorney General Mukasey to talk with them. We can help by calling his office directly ourselves and asking him to meet with Common Cause, then leaving the answer at Common Cause's webpage for this campaign. The number is (202) 514-2001. Be sure to report your call! Thank you.

Attorney General Mukasey: USDOJ Office of Legal Council pardons lawbreakers in advance

TPMmuckraker reports the ongoing struggle between the U.S. Department of Justice and Congress. New Attorney General Michael Mukasey is defending the Justice Dept's. Office of Legal Council, even if it's opinions may breach actual law.

The Justice Department will not investigate whether CIA agents engaged in torture by waterboarding detainees, Attorney General Michael Mukasey said earlier. Ditto goes for the administration's warrantless wiretapping program, Mukasey added later, when asked by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) whether he would appoint a special counsel to investigate. The question came after Mukasey had baldly asserted that it was not a "practical view" that the president could order someone to act outside the law. Nadler wanted to know if the president hadn't done just that with his warrantless wiretapping program, which had ignored the constraints of FISA. Well, Mukasey said, the President had ordered that on the advice of the Justice Department that it was lawful. So, just as he will not initiate an investigation of waterboarding since the DoJ had given its OK, he will also not investigate whether the warrantless wiretapping was lawful, since it was legal, because the DoJ said it was ("there are views on both sides of that" he acknowledged). Mukasey also went back to correct his statement during last week's hearing that he "didn't know" if the President had ordered the warrantless wiretapping outside the law. Silly me, he said, of course it was legal -- it was authorized by the DoJ.

Now you know why Jack Goldsmith, the former chief of the DoJ's Office of Legal Counsel, said that OLC has the power to issue “free get-out-of jail cards,” or "advance pardons" with its opinions.

Right wing power grabs for the Civil Rights Commission

CREW, a public advocacy organization, has issued a press release concerning the Bush legacy of politicizing civil rights-- the Civil Rights Commission is stacked with partisans.

Washington, DC – This morning, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) hosted a press conference call with the NAACP and MALDEF to demand that U.S. Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey rescind a Bush legal memo that authorized deceptive appointments of exclusively partisan Republicans to the bipartisan Civil Rights Commission.

The letter, signed by LCCR, CREW, NAACP, MALDEF, National Women’s Law Center, National Partnership for Women & Families, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, National Congress of American Indians and the ACLU is online:

http://www.civilrights.org/library/advocacy-letters/usccr-letter.html

In order to circumvent the Civil Rights Act of 1957, the Bush Justice Department wrote a memo allowing Republican members of the Commission to switch their party affiliation to “independent.” That allowed the president to appoint more Republicans to the bipartisan eight person commission under the guise that they were somehow “independent,” allowing the Bush administration to circumvent the law requiring that no more than four members of any party serve on the commission.

During his confirmation hearing, Mukasey pledged to review “significant” decisions of the Office of Legal Counsel to ensure that such decisions were “sound, soundly reasoned, soundly based.” Allowing this deception in the appointment process was neither sound, soundly reasoned or soundly based and is a continuation of the Bush administration's legacy of undermining the credibility and subverting Congress' intent to retain the commission's independence and bipartisan membership

Mukasey is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

Visit VOTE411.org to prepare for the Primaries in your state!

The LWV (The League of Women Voters) is reminding eligible voters to make sure they are registered for the upcoming Primaries elections. Each state has it's own date for nominating candidates for each office, from both major and minor political parties, for the General elections in November, 2008. LWV has a website for your preparation for both election days-- it is VOTE411.org. Please make sure you are a registered voter, and an informed voter this election year by visiting the comprehensive voter assistance site at VOTE411.org.

NOTA BENE: For voter services for US Citizens Overseas and Uniformed, please check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.

A major lawsuit is filed for hand counting paper ballots for election day

At times since the federal government's attempts to improve voting technology of the last several years, individuals and groups have cried unstable and even unreliable new voting machines. Nevertheless, these new electronic voting machines are being released and used, as controversial as they are. A new, 50-state lawsuit to return to paper ballots has been filed; Richard Winger of Ballot Access News reports:

On September 11, 2007, Robert L. Schulz and many other voters filed a lawsuit in federal court, alleging that the U.S. Constitution requires reliable vote-counting methods. The lawsuit also alleges that only paper ballots, hand-counted, are truly reliable. The case is Schulz v State of New York, 1:07-cv-943-LEK, in the northern district of New York.
There have been other attempts to persuade courts to invalidate certain types of vote-counting machines, and they have generally not succeeded. Even sitting Congressman Robert Wexler’s lawsuit did not prevail. The Schulz lawsuit is somewhat notable because it is endeavoring to sue elections officials in all 50 states. There are 150 voter-plaintiffs, three from each state. For more information about this lawsuit, see www.electionguardians.org, or www.votefraud.org. Robert L. Schulz was the New York Libertarian gubernatorial candidate in 1994. In 1994 he won a lawsuit in federal court, requiring New York to give the list of registered voters to the unqualified parties on the same basis that the state provided the list to the qualified parties.

Our nation has been struggling with it's voting machines since the problems associated with the 2000 presidential elections. It is time we return to voter-verified voting that can be hand counted to ensure the safest polling place administration.

Write your U.S. Representative for co-sponsorship of electoral reform bill HR 3600

U.S. Representative Ron Paul has introduced an electoral reform bill, namely, "To enforce the guarantees of the first, fourteenth, and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution of the United States by prohibiting certain devices used to deny the right to participate in certain elections." Simply put, HR 3600 lowers the barriers for candidates from alternative parties and independents to get on the general election day ballot.

The two party system doesn't work. It maintains, through legislation of the two major parties' officeholders, a monopoly on the democratic process. Most states have very difficult ballot access requirements outside the Democratic and Republican parties, leading to unorganized, thwarted third parties and few independent candidates.

Yes, there are more than two political philosophies than Democratic and Republican. Very powerful and unique ideas are offered today by third parties. Write a letter to your Representative, and ask him or her to give more choice to the American voter on election day.

Bring representation to the District of Columbia

Public Citizen's Congress Watch is running an email campaign asking the public to help bring congressional representation to the District of Columbia. The DC Voting Rights Act would also add a House of Representatives seat to Utah.

September 14, 2007
Dear David,
While we endlessly debate the possibility of democracy in Iraq, our democracy at home remains in question.
More than half a million people live in the capital of the United States without voting representation in Congress. Yes, the citizens of the District of Columbia pay U.S. taxes, fight and die for the U.S. during wartime and yet, shockingly, they have no vote in the Congress that governs them.
A vote to right this wrong is imminent - but we need your help.
A key procedural vote on the DC Voting Rights Act is scheduled for Tuesday, September 18. We must act now to prevent some senators from blocking this bill. If Tuesday's motion succeeds, the Senate could next vote on the bill for final passage. If it fails, an endless filibuster could ensue, killing the bill that the House already passed in pril.
The bill would provide for a seat for traditionally Democratic Washington, D.C., with an additional seat for Republican-leaning Utah, making it a partisan and politically neutral bill.
Citizens in the District of Columbia don't have senators of their own to call, so they need you to stand up for them and our democratic values. Contact your senators today and insist that they allow this important civil rights legislation to proceed to the floor for a vote!
Tell your senators to make history by ending taxation without representation in Washington.
Sincerely,
Angela Canterbury, Public Citizen Field & Outreach Director of Congress Watch mailto:Watchaction@citizen.org

Vote for more than just "the lesser of two evils"!

Joel S. Hirschhorn has just published an informative analysis on political reform-- it concerns the common practice, during a low voter turnout, of voting for "the lesser of two evils". It's conventional wisdom for people on general election day to vote against the more "evil" candidate, by voting for only an alternative major candidate. Most of those times, there are just the two nominees from the major political parties-- a Democrat and a Republican-- that are on the ballot, as well.

As a former National Press Secretary for the Reform Party, I'm well aware of the self-fulfilling prophesy that is the two-party system in these United States. Ultimately, voters should select candidates in the primaries and on general election day who are honest and accountable, and who are qualified for each of the respective open seats; this applies to all of levels of government, from the local to federal. And, the duopolistic major parties should present to the people their most qualified candidates, who are honest and accountable, as well as the minor parties such as the Libertarians, the Green Party and the Constitution Party.

Mr. Hirschhorn has a book out right now as well, entitled "Delusional Democracy: Fixing the Republic Without Overthrowing the Government". It promotes several political reforms which, put together, conditions our electoral system for cleaner, more responsible elections.