Veterans back Voter Confidence Committee on reform (Eureka Reporter)

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Veterans back Voter Confidence Committee on reform
by Rebecca S. Bender, 3/7/2006

The local chapter of Veterans for Peace has added its name to the growing list of those asking the Humboldt County elections office to adopt a clear and verifiable election process. In an open letter dated Feb. 2, VFP Humboldt Bay Chapter 56 endorses the tenets of the Voter Confidence Resolution and urges the elections department and local government officials to sign on as well.

“When paperless electronic voting was introduced, votes could not be recounted,” the letter stated. “Unverifiable votes ensure inconclusive outcomes that will never receive unanimous acceptance from the public.”

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The letter recommends investigating the installation of Diebold software and banning future involvements with Diebold, conducting public town hall meetings and encouraging local officials to work toward elections procedures and results that citizens can trust. “We need to have the illegal Diebold machines seen for what they are,” VFP member Jim Sorter said in a news release. “We need paper ballots to have an election or else it is just a selection and our voices aren’t heard.”

The push to ensure confirmable election results has been spearheaded by a grassroots citizens’ organization, the Voter Confidence Committee, which focuses on public education, increasing citizens’ involvement in local politics and serving as an electoral watchdog.

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Any group whose primary mission is not related to elections will find that working for fair elections is ultimately in the interest of their main area of concern. Election protection should be a secondary mission for every group. If you are looking to broaden support for the election work you do in your area, consider using this angle to build bridges with other groups in your community.