Ensure the Integrity of Your Vote!
April 10, 2006: Common Cause has launched an intensive effort to persuade Congress to pass legislation that would require electronic voting machines used in federal elections to produce voter-verified paper records by the upcoming mid-term elections in November.
Working with our coalition partners, Common Cause last week helped persuade nine new members of Congress to support legislation that would require that voting systems used in federal elections generate a voter-verified paper record that could be inspected by voters prior to their votes being cast, and require random unannounced audits in 2 percent of the precincts in each state. That bill, HR 550, the "Voter Confidence and Increased Accountability Act," is sponsored by Rep. Rush Holt (D-NJ).
The additional co-sponsors were added with the help of more than 150 concerned voters who came to Washington for a two-day lobbying blitz in support of paper records. Our tireless activists visited the offices of 100 members of Congress, picking up support from Reps. John Shimkus (R-IL), Ray LaHood (R-IL), Jim Leach (R-IA), Stephen F. Lynch (D-MA), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Tim Holden (D-PA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Ben Chandler (D-KY) and Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). That brings to about 180 the number House members supporting the bill, and we need the support of 218 members to by pass the committee process and get this bill to the floor for a vote.
But we have much more to do by November, when the critical mid-term elections roll around.
In the coming months, Common Cause will be working nationwide with local groups concerned with this issue to make sure that Congress hears that we want assurance that our vote will be counted as cast. We'll reach out to the press with our message, lobby Congress and do all we can to assure that our federal legislators pass this critical bill.
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