Guest Blogged by John Gideon of VotersUnite.org

An urgent action alert has been raised in New York. As a result of the Department of Justice lawsuit regarding New York State's lever machine replacement, New York State's county level election commissioners have until February 8, 2008 to choose whether to use either a paper ballot based ballot marker and scanner system, or a direct recording electronic (DRE) voting system for each county.

After reaching a compromise with the federal court to provide ballot marking devices for disabled voters in each polling places in 2008, the New York State Board of Elections has recklessly redefined ballot marking devices to include DRE voting machines. Let's be clear - the untested DRE devices which commissioners are now empowered to purchase are not Ballot Marking Devices, they are DRE touch screen voting machines. Because this choice will commit over half of the funding available for new voting machines, if a county selects a DRE in February your county will vote on touch screen voting machines.

Concerned New Yorkers can help by notifying the county commissioners of the importance of choosing a paper ballot based system, and putting the media spotlight on the issue. It is urgent that you contact your local election commissioners in writing before the end of the month, and include newspapers and county legislators in that correspondence.

Please go HERE to learn how you can take action....

• NAtional: Could post-ballot audits renew faith in U.S. elections?
  Supporters say the time is now to mandate random counts after elections
  http://www.computerworld...7438&intsrc=hm_list
• NAtional: Editorial - A Quick Fix for Electronic Voting
  http://www.nytimes.com/2...6/opinion/16wed1.html?hp
• NAtional: Emergency measure advocates paper ballots and election audits
  http://www.newsday.com/n...116jan16,0,1484512.story
• NAtional: Ohio, Minnesota and Alabama Adopt New Online Solutions to Build 2008 Military and Overseas Absentee Voter Participation Rates
  https://www.overseasvote...nnoucement_16-Jan-08.pdf
• AZ: Pima County - Elections data fight in new phase
  County opposes releasing more info to Dems
  http://www.tucsoncitizen...om/daily/local/74194.php
• AZ: Pima County - County OKs paper ballots going online after voting
  Dems sought databases from all past elections
  http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/220713
• CO: Drop-in option mulled for mail-ballot elections
  http://www.aurorasentine...D=18138&TM=3655.491
• CO: Officials lean toward paper ballots after electronic machines tossed
  http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7981616
• CO: Lawmakers favor paper for November election
  http://dailycamera.com/n...r-for-november-election/
• CO: Bill would let Coffman retest electronic voting machines
  http://www.summitdaily.c...e/20080116/NEWS/92956412
• IL: Hancock County - Ballots still not available for early voting; ES&S responds to criticism by Asbridge
  http://www.journalpilot....008/01/16/news/news2.txt
• IN: Lake County - Voting to go all electronic
  http://www.post-trib.com...s/742688,lcelect.article
• NH: Democratic Ballot Recount Under Way In N.H.
  Kucinich Questions Accuracy Of Machine-Counted Ballots
  http://www.wmur.com/news/15062536/detail.html
• NH: What to expect from a NH Recount and Why
  http://www.opednews.com/...what_to_expect_from_.htm
• NJ: NJ Governor Signs Landmark Election Protection Legislation
  http://e-voter.blogspot....s-landmark-election.html
• NJ: AG rejects request for the use of emergency ballots on Feb. 5
  http://www.nj.com/news/l...14290230.xml&coll=1
• NM: Election Shuffle
  Secretary of State fills positions, but questions remain
  http://sfreporter.com/ar...608-election-shuffle.php
• NY: Urgent Action Alert for New York State!
  http://www.nyvv.org/ActJan08.shtml
• NY: Federal judge approves NY voting machine plan
  http://www.newsday.com/n...116jan16,0,3409219.story
• NY: Federal Judge Rules On Voting Compliance In N.Y.
  N.Y. To Comply With 'Help America Vote Act'
  http://wcbstv.com/topsto...g.machines.2.631228.html
• NY: Judge OKs NY State Voting Remedies
  http://ap.google.com/art...Gu_u_mPKthDHpGQD8U77K2O0
• NY: Suffolk County - FBI subpoenas election records in Huntington race
  http://www.newsday.com/n...648jan16,0,7734489.story
• NY: Sullivan County - Sullivan faces voting reform requirements
  http://www.recordonline..../20080116/NEWS/801160342
• OH: Brunner makes pitch to election chiefs
  http://blog.cleveland.co...es_pitch_to_electio.html
• OH: Brunner meeting with county elections officials goes smoothly
  Elections officials complain only a bit
  http://www.cleveland.com...85269740.xml&coll=2
• OH: Brunner's election plan outlined in relative calm
  http://www.columbusdispa..._A1_U392OV1.html?sid=101
• OH: Bob & Harvey's 3-Step "Ohio Plan" for fair and reliable voting and vote counts
  http://www.freepress.org...nts/display/19/2008/2974
• OH: Penn State researchers help identify weaknesses in Ohio voting machines
  http://live.psu.edu/story/28108
• OH: Editorial - Playing politics with elections
  http://toledoblade.com/a...0116/OPINION02/801160320
• PA: Companies compete for officials' votes
  Voting machine manufacturers make pitches. Commissioners will recommend choice to council.
  http://www.nj.com/news/e...56216420.xml&coll=2
• PA: Lackawanna County - County stresses need, not speed, in vote machines
  http://www.thetimes-trib...ept_id=415898&rfi=6
• PA: Northampton County - County compares 6 replacement voting machines
  http://www.mcall.com/new...105jan16,0,4777140.story
• PA: Northampton County officials examine new voting machines
  http://www.pennlive.com/....xml&storylist=penn
• SC: NAACP wants eye kept on primary
  Group cites voting machine concerns in request to U.S. Justice Department
  http://www.heraldonline....om/109/story/295642.html
• SC: Voting machines in S.C. not big source of worry
  http://www.timesanddemoc.../16/opinion/12916134.txt
• SC: S.C. Voting Machines Banned in Other States
  http://www.free-times.co...cle_ID=11461501080666647
• TN: Davidson County - Password on laptop had been changed
  http://www.fairviewobser...02/801160427/1321/MTCN06
• TN: Sevier County - Sheriff's candidates present for required testing
  [Note that this headline is deceptive. According to the article both candidates expressed concerns that testing was not completed in public]
  http://www.zwire.com/sit...&PAG=461&rfi=9
• WV: Kanawha County - Carper critical of touch-screen voting machines as two states try to ban them
  http://www.dailymail.com...ews/Kanawha/200801160147

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