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The Citizens Alliance for Secure Elections (CASE) rally, held Saturday, April 17, was another battle in the war against voting machines that lack voter verification. The rally was one event among many which culminated in an ultimate victory for the state of Ohio. We will have voter verified paper trails.
This informational rally featured several speakers who shared their concerns regarding Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell’s proposed voting machines. Several also shared personal experiences and knowledge that further condemned voting machines that do not leave behind a paper trail.
Many felt that the democracy of our nation would be threatened if there were no longer voter verified ballots.
The companies that Blackwell supported did not reflect what would be best for Ohio voters; they were insufficient and inept at meeting the standards of Ohio citizens.
The federal government has certified machines with voter verification, yet Blackwell continued to trust less reputable, privately owned corporations to push through new, inadequate voting machines. We have until 2006 to purchase the new machines, why did he feel the need to rush?
Ohioans gathered that Saturday in front of the Statehouse to make their voices heard. Signs were held proclaiming: “Verify the Vote,” “War on Error,” and “No Electronic Voting.” And the resounding chant; “We the people must verify out votes” rang loud.
Ohio citizens deserve voting machines that are technically sound, accessible for the handicapped and disabled, equipped with bilingual accommodations for ESL voters, and most importantly the new voting machines need to have voter verified paper trails.
Now, they will.
“We are in a fight to preserve our democracy, we cannot be sold machines that are not safe,” said Marsha Robinson.
We have time to research the necessary safeguards that electronic voting machines need, apart from voter verification. There is time to work out technical or political bugs that may be tripping up the quality of the product.
CASE has made its presence known both within the community and inside the Statehouse; this rally was one of many efforts the community undertook to secure voter safety and ballot accuracy. This event, along with the presence and concern of voters, helped Ohio join the states with verified voter paper trails.
For more information on voter verification visit: www.verifiedvoting.org. CASE-Ohio can be found at: www.caseohio.org.
This informational rally featured several speakers who shared their concerns regarding Ohio Secretary of State Blackwell’s proposed voting machines. Several also shared personal experiences and knowledge that further condemned voting machines that do not leave behind a paper trail.
Many felt that the democracy of our nation would be threatened if there were no longer voter verified ballots.
The companies that Blackwell supported did not reflect what would be best for Ohio voters; they were insufficient and inept at meeting the standards of Ohio citizens.
The federal government has certified machines with voter verification, yet Blackwell continued to trust less reputable, privately owned corporations to push through new, inadequate voting machines. We have until 2006 to purchase the new machines, why did he feel the need to rush?
Ohioans gathered that Saturday in front of the Statehouse to make their voices heard. Signs were held proclaiming: “Verify the Vote,” “War on Error,” and “No Electronic Voting.” And the resounding chant; “We the people must verify out votes” rang loud.
Ohio citizens deserve voting machines that are technically sound, accessible for the handicapped and disabled, equipped with bilingual accommodations for ESL voters, and most importantly the new voting machines need to have voter verified paper trails.
Now, they will.
“We are in a fight to preserve our democracy, we cannot be sold machines that are not safe,” said Marsha Robinson.
We have time to research the necessary safeguards that electronic voting machines need, apart from voter verification. There is time to work out technical or political bugs that may be tripping up the quality of the product.
CASE has made its presence known both within the community and inside the Statehouse; this rally was one of many efforts the community undertook to secure voter safety and ballot accuracy. This event, along with the presence and concern of voters, helped Ohio join the states with verified voter paper trails.
For more information on voter verification visit: www.verifiedvoting.org. CASE-Ohio can be found at: www.caseohio.org.