Trouble in Illinois

Dear Kane County Democrats,

As most of you already know, the Illinois State Board of Elections has given two-year interim certification to two unreliable and highly insecure DRE touch-screen computer voting systems.

They are:

1. Sequoia AVC Edge
2. Diebold Accuvote TSX.

Since 2002, VotersUnite.Org. has collected hundreds of press reports on vote switching, miscounts, mechanical failures and the illegal use of uncertified
software involving these and other computer-based voting systems.

In addition to the DRE touch-screen systems that will be put into use,
nearly all Illinois counties will be using highly insecure optical-scan
voting equipment manufactured and programmed by Diebold, ES&S and Sequoia.

The Illinois Ballot Integrity Project and The Quick ‘N Clean Foundation have
learned that virtually none of the computerized voting equipment (including
county central tabulators) has been tested for security against malicious
programming and vote rigging.

The lack of security testing is true at both the federal and state levels.

The Illinois State Board of Elections does not test for security in its
certification processes.

We now know that the Illinois Election System is wide open to malicious
programming and vote rigging.

Two things need two be done two provide reasonable assurance that Illinois
elections will not be rigged in 2006:

1. Independent party tabulation of all county and statewide vote totals.
2. All paper ballots in a minimum of 5% of all precincts in each county must
be hand counted by teams of bipartisan/multipartisan trained election
judges.

Item two will likely require state legislation.

I have attached (see below) a single-page document entitled “County Election Integrity
Committees”. This document outlines what needs to be done at the county
level.

We must begin organizing our Democratic Party election oversight program
now.

I would like to schedule out first organizing meeting on Saturday, January
7th at 10:30 a.m. in Batavia.

Let me know if this meeting time works for you.

Best Wishes,
Larry

COUNTY ELECTION INTEGRITY COMMITTEES

(www.qnc.us)

The vast majority of election oversight activities will be conducted at the county level.

Working with township, district and ward committee chairs, the Democratic County Central Committee will be responsible for recruiting, training and coordinating the election oversight activities of hundreds of Democratic volunteers. Recruitment and training activities need to begin well before the next election.

It is recommended that each Democratic County Central Committee:

·Create a standing County Election Integrity Committee to coordinate election oversight activities around the county.

·Staff each precinct/polling place with two Democratic poll watchers to record precinct vote totals for all races.

·Independently tabulate countywide vote totals.

·Ensure that 5% of all precincts are randomly selected in each county, for a complete hand count of all races, by a bipartisan team of qualified election judges.

·Staff each county and township election center with an adequate number of trained election judges.

·Staff each county and township vote tabulation center with two qualified attorneys to ensure compliance with election law, and to quickly report observed violations to election officials and the media.

·Prior to each election, provide an election integrity workshop for all Democratic poll watchers, election judges, legal experts and others in need of training.

·Actively work for the establishment of a nonpartisan/bipartisan county election board.

Establishing a county election oversight system will create an opportunity to involve hundreds of new Democratic volunteers in the political process, and will assure a Democratic presence in each precinct of the county. Most volunteers need only contribute a few hours at election time.