[nfb-talk] Fw: Great News!!! - PRESS RELEASE -

Wed May 9 14:33:44 CDT 2007

David,

Since we have already been down this road here in Minnesota, let me know if there is any information that might be of help.  One thing that was done here was to 
have each county buy a certain number of extra machines for backup purposes.  Also, we have many polling places with multiple precincts, and the Automark can 
handle multiple ballots so that reduced the number required.  However, that doesn't make the challenge that much smaller.  Good luck as you take this on.

On Wed, 9 May 2007 14:22:30 -0500, David Evans wrote:

>Dear Steve,

>I took no offense at what you said and I did not mean by response to sound 
>like I was snapping at you.

>I have no problem with having a paper trail, I just don't want us to lose 
>our access to the secret ballot in the process.
>As I see it, the problem is getting machines that can mark an optically 
>scanned ballot certified in all of the states where there is a paper trail 
>mandated.

>Even once we do get them certified, just having one per precinct is still 
>going to be a pain.  If it breaks or doesn't work, getting it fixed or 
>serviced may become a question of funding over time and a dodge for not 
>providing the access.

>David Evans, NFBF
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, May 08, 2007 9:53 PM
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Great News!!! - PRESS RELEASE -

>> Sorry I apparently ruffled your feathers.  I was pretty certain you were 
>> involved in voter issues, but it sounded to me as
>> though you didn't think there was a very accessible alternative for paper 
>> ballots.  I do understand that it will be a royal
>> pain and that a bunch of money will be spent because the laws changed. 
>> That is frustrating.
>>
>> On Tue, 8 May 2007 13:00:56 -0500, David Evans wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Dear Steve,
>>
>>>I am well aware of what HAVA provides for.
>>>I served an appointment to the Governor's Select Task Force on Voting 
>>>Access
>>>after the 2000 elections as well as an appointment to the Florida HAVA 
>>>State
>>>Planning Committee for 2 years.
>>>My own county of Palm Beach has DRE's, but now , with the change in the
>>>State Law to ensure a paper trail, all of the 67 counties are going to 
>>>have
>>>to re-think their approach to access.
>>>The Auto Mark or Mark Sense, which ever you call it seems to be the only 
>>>way
>>>that we can have the access and make the ballots homogenious with the
>>>ballots of the sighted.
>>>Ballots printed in any other format will be noticeable different from each
>>>other.
>>>We will have the push the State and the machines manufacturers to get them
>>>certified in the state for use.
>>>Certification is the two million dollar nut that has to be cracked.
>>>It cost that much per state to get the machines certified for use.
>>
>>>David Evans, NFBF
>>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>>From: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>>>To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Friday, May 04, 2007 9:59 AM
>>>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Fw: Great News!!! - PRESS RELEASE -
>>
>>
>>>> David,
>>>>
>>>> What is the "Mark Sense" voting machine?  We used the "AutoMark" machine
>>>> here in Minnesota to mark paper ballots and it worked reasonably well. 
>>>> It
>>>> can also
>>>> be used by blind and sighted voters who wish to do so.  I believe we are
>>>> going to see shifts like this in a number of states, and I think we need
>>>> to be careful not to
>>>> get caught up in the paper versus paperless debate.  If states decide to
>>>> switch, we don't want to be left out, but there will likely be some 
>>>> bumps
>>>> in the road, and
>>>> we're going to have to gauge the intentions of states to some degree. 
>>>> For
>>>> example, if we are the only group to use a voting machine that does not
>>>> use a paper
>>>> ballot, that will also compromise our secret ballot even though it might
>>>> be accessible.  We could end up fighting for and spending money on
>>>> something that is not all
>>>> that meaningful.  On the other hand, if a state demonstrates a complete
>>>> unwillingness to deal with accessible voting, we can't let that stand.
>>>> Also remember that
>>>> HAVA doesn't govern state and local elections.  They may be effected by
>>>> separate laws and each state may differ.
>>>>
>>>> Best regards,
>>>>
>>>> Steve Jacobson
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, 4 May 2007 09:30:33 -0500, David Evans wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Dear All,
>>>>
>>>>>This is both great , but also dangerous for the Blind.
>>>>>We must now push for the "Mark Sense" voting machine system to be
>>>>>certified
>>>>>for use in the State of Florida as it is the only known system capable 
>>>>>of
>>>>>being used in marking paper ballots that both the sighted and the Blind
>>>>>can
>>>>>use.
>>>>>This means that all DRE , touch screen machines, that are now accessible
>>>>>to
>>>>>the Blind, will be banned and phased out for use in voting.
>>>>>The Mark Sense machine is not currently certified by our State and it 
>>>>>will
>>>>>take effort to get it certified by next year.
>>>>>I do not plan to be disenfranchised by the Florida State Legislature and
>>>>>lose my access to the secret ballot.
>>>>>I will sue the State if I have to to preserve my constitutional right 
>>>>>to
>>>>>that secret ballot.
>>>>>We have been the last group to get it and now that I have had it, I 
>>>>>don't
>>>>>plan on giving it up.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>David Evans, NFBF
>>>>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
>>>>>To: <nfbf-l at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:42 PM
>>>>>Subject: [nfb-talk] Fw: Great News!!! - PRESS RELEASE -
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>This is interesting. I hope we don't get left behind.
>>>>
>>>>>Sherri
>>>>>----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>From: "alan dicey" <adicey at bellsouth.net>
>>>>>To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>
>>>>>Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:57 PM
>>>>>Subject: Great News!!! - PRESS RELEASE -
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>PRESS RELEASE
>>>>
>>>>>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 3 May 2007
>>>>
>>>>>Contact:
>>>>
>>>>>Susan Pynchon, Cell: 386-804-3131
>>>>
>>>>>Pamela Haengel, Cell: 727-244-9064
>>>>
>>>>>Kindra Muntz, Cell: 941-266-8278
>>>>
>>>>>Dan McCrea, Cell: 305-984-2900
>>>>
>>>>>FLORIDA MOVES to paper ballots!
>>>>
>>>>>Florida Voters Coalition congratulates governor crist and the florida
>>>>>legislature for ending PAPERLESS voting.
>>>>
>>>>>TALLAHASSEE: In a historic vote, the Florida House today unanimously
>>>>>passed
>>>>>CS/HB 537, already passed in the Senate, that provides almost all voters
>>>>>paper
>>>>>ballots in time for the 2008 Presidential election, and bans paperless
>>>>>DREs
>>>>>outright by 2012. The bill now goes to the Governor where he's sure to
>>>>>sign
>>>>>it since it's his initiative.
>>>>
>>>>>Counties will have the option to pitch DREs immediately and provide 
>>>>>ballot
>>>>>marking devices for voters with disabilities. "FVC urges all 67 counties
>>>>>to
>>>>>convert
>>>>>to uniform paper ballot systems without delay and leave no voter behind
>>>>>voting on failed electronic voting machines," said FVC Co-Founder, Dan
>>>>>McCrea.
>>>>
>>>>>The bill is funded with $27.9 million in HAVA funds and there's plenty
>>>>>more
>>>>>money in that account should more be needed next year. Counties will get
>>>>>help
>>>>>from the state to purchase optical scan equipment to count the paper
>>>>>ballots; ballot-on-demand equipment to ease paper congestion problems in
>>>>>Early Voting;
>>>>>and ballot marking devices to serve the disabled.
>>>>
>>>>>While there was talk earlier in the legislative session about 
>>>>>retrofitting
>>>>>printers to failed touchscreen DREs, that talk faded as legislators saw 
>>>>>it
>>>>>would
>>>>>be throwing good money after bad. Additionally, they are sure to have
>>>>>understood that currently available "VVPAT" printers would not comply 
>>>>>with
>>>>>proposed
>>>>>federal legislation which, if passed, will supersede Florida law. 
>>>>>(Federal
>>>>>bill HR 811, sponsored by Rep. Rush Holt, currently has 212 bi-partisan
>>>>>co-sponsors
>>>>>in Congress.)
>>>>
>>>>>The Florida bill also contains new audit provisions essential to the
>>>>>security of paper ballot voting systems. There was agreement among
>>>>>legislators that
>>>>>the new audit provisions will need further tweaking next year before
>>>>>becoming effective in July 2008. For now, the language requires that 
>>>>>after
>>>>>every election,
>>>>>at least 1% and not more than 2% of randomly selected precincts be 
>>>>>audited
>>>>>by hand-counting the paper ballots in one randomly selected race. The
>>>>>audit
>>>>>will take place after certification and be reported 3 days before the
>>>>>contest period ends.
>>>>
>>>>>"FVC supports 'statistically significant' audits that would yield a far
>>>>>greater confidence level in election results and should be reported 
>>>>>before
>>>>>certification.
>>>>>FVC will be working with state and local election officials in the 
>>>>>coming
>>>>>year to strengthen Florida audit language," said another FVC Co-Founder,
>>>>>Kindra
>>>>>Muntz, who led the successful charter amendment campaign in Sarasota
>>>>>County
>>>>>that requires both voter verified paper ballots and mandatory random
>>>>>audits
>>>>>in all elections.
>>>>
>>>>>"We thank Governor Crist and the Florida Legislature for their vision 
>>>>>and
>>>>>diligence in improving Florida voting systems," said FVC Co-Founder, 
>>>>>Susan
>>>>>Pynchon,
>>>>>"and for working together in a bi-partisan, bicameral effort. The eyes 
>>>>>of
>>>>>the nation have been and still are on Florida elections - and Florida
>>>>>finally
>>>>>got it right! We can now say Florida is leading the nation in election
>>>>>reform."
>>>>
>>>>>In addition to the Governor and the Legislature deserving praise, FVC
>>>>>thanks
>>>>>the two dozen co-signers to our 2007 Position Paper on Voting Systems, 
>>>>>who
>>>>>are listed below, and who worked very hard together at local, state, and
>>>>>national levels on many different aspects of advocating for this
>>>>>legislation.
>>>>>Thanks to Senator Bill Nelson and other members of Congress who also
>>>>>helped
>>>>>at the national level. We also thank the Florida League of Woman Voters
>>>>>and
>>>>>the Florida Council of the Blind for their vital assistance.  Special
>>>>>thanks
>>>>>to Warren Stewart, Policy Director for VoteTrustUSA; Ion Sancho, Leon
>>>>>County
>>>>>Supervisor of Elections; Howard Simon, Executive Director of ACLU of
>>>>>Florida; and Pamela Smith, President of Verified Voting for their
>>>>>invaluable
>>>>>contributions
>>>>>to this effort.  Additional thanks go to Sam Bell, Doug Bell and Rebecca
>>>>>Sager for their extensive assistance on the ground in Tallahassee. And
>>>>>finally,
>>>>>FVC thanks the thousands of volunteers and citizens who cared enough 
>>>>>about
>>>>>Florida's elections to help rally support, send messages to the Governor
>>>>>and
>>>>>Legislature, talk to the media, and make their voices heard. "This was a
>>>>>good day for democracy," said FVC Co-Founder Pamela Haengel.
>>>>
>>>>>National Organizations - Alphabetical by Organization
>>>>
>>>>>List of 6 items
>>>>>. Ralph Miller, Executive Director,
>>>>>Latinos for America
>>>>>. Megan Matson, Director,
>>>>>Mainstreet Moms
>>>>>. Pamela Smith, President,
>>>>>VerifiedVoting.org
>>>>>. Dan McCrea, Florida State Director,
>>>>>Voter Action
>>>>>. John Gideon, Executive Director,
>>>>>VotersUnite.org
>>>>>. Joan Krawitz, Executive Director,
>>>>>VoteTrustUSA
>>>>>list end
>>>>
>>>>>State of Florida Organizations - Alphabetical by Organization
>>>>
>>>>>List of 15 items
>>>>>. Howard Simon, Executive Director,
>>>>> ACLU of Florida
>>>>>. Jeannette D. Wynn, President,
>>>>>Florida Council of the American Federation of State, County and 
>>>>>Municipal
>>>>>Employees (AFSCME)
>>>>>. Cynthia Hall, President,
>>>>>Florida AFL-CIO
>>>>>. Ellen Brodsky, Executive Director,
>>>>>Broward Election Reform Coalition
>>>>>(BERC)
>>>>>. Susan Pynchon, Executive Director,
>>>>>Florida Fair Elections Coalition
>>>>>(FFEC)
>>>>>. Ion Sancho, Supervisor of Elections,
>>>>>Leon County Department of Elections
>>>>>. Trevor Harvey, President,
>>>>>Sarasota County Branch, NAACP
>>>>>. Susan Van Houten, Co-Founder, Palm Beach Coalition for Election Reform
>>>>>. Brad Ashwell,
>>>>>Florida Public Interest Research Group
>>>>>(PIRG)
>>>>>. Kindra Muntz, President,
>>>>>Sarasota Alliance for Fair Elections
>>>>>(SAFE)
>>>>>. Sevell C. Brown III, Florida State President,
>>>>>Southern Christian Leadership Conference
>>>>>. Jim Pillow, Political Coordinator -
>>>>>Teamsters Local 385 Orlando
>>>>>. Fred Seidl, Coordinator,
>>>>>Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry, Florida
>>>>>. Gene Jones,
>>>>>Florida Veterans for Common Sense
>>>>>. Pamela Haengel, President,
>>>>>Voting Integrity Alliance of Tampa Bay
>>>>>(VIA Tampa Bay)
>>>>>list end
>>>>
>>>>>###
>>>>
>>>>>__._,_.___
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>-- 
>>>>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>>>>Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>>>>>Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.6.2/785 - Release Date: 5/2/2007
>>>>>2:16
>>>>>PM
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>
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