Some press coverage on the TN Voter Confidence Act signing ceremony

Here's a link to one of the stories (good story, bad headline) that are now appearing statewide on the signing of our bill. We also got coverage on a number of the larger TV stations statewide, as well as on public radio.

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/jun/06/machines-to-create-confident-balloting/

There were four bills that were involved in the signing ceremony. Ours drew (by far) the largest contingent and -- as far as I can tell -- was the only bill that involved citizens in the signing process. The Governor and the two chief legislative sponsors spoke. Both legislators gave considerable praise and credit to our citizen lobbying efforts for the bill's passage. Senator Joe Haynes even joked that we gave him (and the rest of the legislature) no rest until this bill passed. (We have a mailing list of about 2,000 people who we mobilized regularly to call and email their legislators at every step in the process). Haynes said it would be nice to once again be able to open his email without finding hundreds of messages yelling "LET OUR VOTES COUNT".

As soon as I can get a photograph of the signing ceremony, I'll post it. I'll be the tall, bald fellow standing behind the Governor (to his left in the picture, naturally) with the merde-eating grin and the big black lapel button that reads "Who did your voting machine vote for?" In honor of all y'all, I also wore the button that Kip Humphrey produced and distributed at our April, 2005 National Election Reform Conference that reads simply, "I Showed Up."

If we all keep "showing up" and refusing to leave until we save our democracy, we will do that. Hence my new sig line.

Peace, folks. And thanks for showing up and staying here at the ER/DU forum. It is nice to be part of this continuing post-graduate seminar on doing the right thing by our country and Her history.

BTW, I hate the phrase "do the right thing". I think I'll start saying "do the left thing" from now on.

My brother told me how hard everyone worked to try and get it done for 2008, but you now have an enormous advantage, i.e. if it is important enough to do, why not let us help you be ahead of your own schedule?

Great work, in spite of incredible odds.

He, I and another member met with the Chair of the House Finance Committee, who was extremely rude to Joe.(Ask him about it if he hasn't already told you.) We all kept our cool, which is good because that pompous legislator could have killed the bill right there and then (we found out later).

BTW, we are considering legal action to impel reforms earlier. Stay tuned....