(from my e-mail)
Please call your senators and ask them to support the Voting and Integrity Act of 2005 (“VIVA 2005”):
Viva 2005 is waiting to be introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator John Ensign (R-NV). In a truly bi-partisan effort, Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Assistant Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), will be co-sponsoring the bill.
If one or both of your senators is Republican, ask them to consider co-sponsoring the bill, VIVA 2005:
The goal is to get as many Republican co-sponsors as possible. With strong Republican support, this bill will stand a chance of passage.
Conversely, if one or both of your senators is Democratic, simply ask them to support the bill:
Viva 2005 requires that:
Voters in federal elections be able to review a paper version of their ballot before it is cast and counted.
Paper ballots and electronic ballots produced by a voting machine must match. In the event of discrepancies, the voter verified paper ballot would be considered the correct record of the votes cast.
In the event of a recount or audit, the paper ballots would be used as the official record of votes cast.
As you can see, the bill is narrowly focused on the paper trail issue. For more information, read the text of the bill as introduced last year. The provisions will take effect in time for the 2006 general election. It applies only to federal elections because the U.S. Congress doesn’t have jurisdiction over state elections. However, if this bill becomes law, it will have the practical effect of compelling states to follow suit.
So please call your two senators and ask them to support this important bill today:
Thank you for all you do for Common Cause.
Sincerely,
Chellie Pingree
CEO & President, Common Cause
Support Common Cause:
www.commoncause.org/AmplifyElectionReform