Think the 2006 elections went great?
Think again.
Look at Sarasota, Florida, and think what will happen to 2008 if we let this one go.
[more below the fold]
Solution?
Our national support of the Saratoga election defense could produce a major breakthrough for us on the national scene.
What's the problem?
--- Sarasota Florida --- 18,000 votes for Congress missing
The results for Florida's 13th Congressional District, which includes parts of five Counties, had wildly different percentages of no votes depending on whether the ballot was on a DRE (Direct Recording Electronic Voting machines) or on a paper ballot.
Sarasota County DREs: 14.8% no vote for 13th CD
Sarasota County absentee ballots: 2.6% no vote for 13th CD Other 13th CD Counties, paper ballots: 1-3% no votes for 13th CD Sarasota County DREs: 1-2% no votes for Governor, Senator
Since Sarasota uses DREs which do not have a paper trail, a recount is impossible. The 14.8% of the electronic ballots in Sarasota County is 18,000 ballots.
Vern Buchanan (R) was certified as the winner by 363 votes overChristine Jennings (D). If the missing votes were in the same percentages as the Sarasota County absentee ballots, Christine Jennings would have won.
VoterAction.org, the ACLU of Florida, the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), and PFAW are suing to void the election on the grounds that the ES&S IVotronic was improperly certified for use in Florida and that County Elections Officials ignored and belittled specific warnings of problems with this race during early voting.
ACTION REQUESTS
suggestion from attorneys at Voter Action:
http://www.califelectprotect.net/SarasotaVolAdvocPlan2006-11-27.xls (this one expires on Friday Dec. 1st)
suggestion from the California Election Protection Network:
Please take a look and make time to contact these legislators by phone, email, whatever you can find time to do. Note that the request is for targeted messaging -- the top of the spreadsheet describes the "ask."
http://voteraction.org/States/Florida/News/11-21-06_1.html
http://safevote.org (local election integrity group: Sarasota Alliance for Fair Elections) http://www.orlandosentinel.com/... /> http://www.dailykos.com/...
