From the DFA group in Tucson:
Action Needed!
Contact Gov. Napolitano to VETO SB1342. With the recent developments in the Arizona legislature, you have every reason to be concerned that your vote may not count in the 2006 election and beyond. Unfortunately our Secretary of State, Janet Brewer, and her Republican colleagues in the legislature have blocked all legislative efforts at amending a voting equipment and procedures bill (SB 1342) that would require a voter verifiable ballot from electronic voting machines. This unfortunate bill goes a step further and gives Jan Brewer the power to authorize the use of uncertified voting equipment! Despite valiant and at times passionate attempts by Representative Ted Downing and his Democratic colleagues in the Arizona House this bad bill is on its way to the Governor’s desk.
More below…
Please take action as soon as possible, by Sunday 4/17 at the latest, and contact Governor Napolitano’s office to urge her to VETO SB1342 and send it back for the legislature for reconsideration. At this time there are not enough votes in the legislature to override the veto.
Calls can be made by dialing the toll free number: 1-800-253-0883
if busy, call 520-628-6580 in Tucson
Fax number: (602)542-1381
E-mail form: http://www.governor.state.az.us/post/feedback.asp (this is not preferred due to the urgency of the issue)
Back Ground: As you might be aware, under the requirements of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) of 2002, electronic voting machines will be in place by the 2006 election primarily for the disabled but not exclusively. To conduct transparent and verifiable elections, our neighboring states of California, Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico have instituted the requirement that all electronic voting machines used in their state produce a voter verifiable paper record that could be reviewed by voters before they cast their vote and by election auditors during and after the election process. Manufacturers of election equipment, such as AutoMark (see website: www.automarkts.com), have responded by providing equipment that both support the disabled needs’ of access and privacy and also provide a verifiable paper record. These machines have been successfully tested in Arizona and were met with great enthusiasm as described by the Secretary of State herself ( see her Memo:
http://www.automarkts.com/Documents/PR%20-%20AZ%20post%20election%20AutoMARK.pdf
Sadly, the same Secretary of State who extolled the virtues of these equipment has now decided, along with her Republican colleagues in the legislature, to block attempts at requiring their use. It’s time to act before its too late. Please contact Governor Napolitano to urge her to VETO SB 1342 and require voter verified paper records here in Arizona.
