Public Support for VVPAT - OLD

Submitted by Bill Crosier on February 28, 2006 - 3:40pm. :: |

We have two versions of this resolution.  The original is from the Ad Hoc Committee on Party Governance Resolutions of the Texas Progressive Populist Caucus http://texaspopulists.com/ and the revised version is from the Progressive Action Alliance.  Both ask that the Texas Democratic Party leadership do the same thing -- to promote VVPAT.  Pick the one you like the most -- both versions are available below, formatted for printing, under Attachments.

Progressive Populist Caucus Version:

DRAFT  RESOLUTION ON PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR VVPAT

WHEREAS the Democratic Party is one of just two Political Parties Nominating By
Primary Election (Title 10, Subtitle B, Texas Election Code) in Texas; …

WHEREAS it exercises inherent powers (Title 10, Section 161.001); …

WHEREAS the State Democratic Executive Committee is the general custodian of
records for this party (Title 5, Section 66.010); and …

WHEREAS the State Democratic Convention is the highest authority of the party in
Texas; …

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the State Democratic Convention duly
convened in Fort Worth to conduct such business as shall properly come before it, …

1. THAT the people of the TDP direct its leadership, including Chair as well
as all Democratic Party County Chairs, to actively and aggressively
advocate the inclusion of a voter verifiable paper audit trail with all DRE
electronic voting machines in use for all elections.

[Discussion]
13 Texas Counties have such non-transparent voting machines in use and
many more in ’06 will be adding them to comply with HAVA requirements.
Aggressive advocacy for this verified voting technology includes
proactively communicating this urgent need to all Democratic party
officeholders and candidates, especially those in charge of elections,
media interviews, public meetings and news releases stating the Party’s
continuing demand for a VVPAT.

Draft prepared by the TDP governance resolutions committee of the Progressive Populist Caucus, Feb. 22, 2006

 

Revised Version:

Public Support for Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail

WHEREAS, most Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines in use in Texas are not being used with any method which allows voters to verify that their votes are recorded properly, even though paper trail options are available for many DRE machines, and

WHEREAS, the lack of a Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) makes it impossible to conduct a recount or check the accuracy of vote counting, and

WHEREAS, numerous design flaws and failures have been documented in DRE's from multiple manufacturers, and

WHEREAS, thirteen Texas Counties have electronic voting machines in use and many more will be adding them in 2006 to comply with Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requirements;

Now therefore be it:

RESOLVED, that the Texas Democratic Party direct its leadership, including the State Chair as well as all County Chairs, to actively and aggressively advocate the inclusion of a voter verifiable paper audit trail with all Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) voting machines in use for all elections, and be it further

RESOLVED, that such paper records be the official ballots of record and be used in any recount, and be it further

RESOLVED, that aggressive advocacy for this verified voting technology by the Texas Democratic Party leadership should include proactively communicating this urgent need to all Democratic party officeholders and candidates, especially those in charge of elections, media interviews, public meetings and news releases stating the Party's continuing demand for a VVPAT.

 


AttachmentSize
Public_Support_VVPAT-revised.pdf38.8 KB
Public_Support_VVPAT-PPC_ver.pdf35.32 KB