I can see it now, John Stewart saying, "John Edwards has taken legal action to protect the Constitutional rights of Republicans. You know, those guys whose leaders don’t care about Constitutional rights!" It would explode across America!
When Ellis Rubin, Luke Lirot and I filed suit last year to seek an injunction to get Max Linn, the Reform Party candidate for Governor of Florida, into the Gubernatorial debates, he got a lot of press. The campaign’s phones started ringing off of the hook. There was a major increase in requests for signs and bumper stickers. His poll numbers went from 5% to 8.7%, a 74% increase just for standing up for his right to debate! Of course, the media claimed that his support in their polls showed less than 2%, but they would not produce any evidentiary basis for their polls. We did, and we won injunctions twice!
I think that you would get an even bigger boost because as the Zogby poll shows, 92% were concerned about secret vote counting in August of 2006. It’s hard to imagine a poll showing more support for any subject! How many are concerned about debates? 25 to 30% at best. Plus, after all of the problems with the 2006 elections and the New Hampshire primary, I would say that even more people are concerned about election integrity now.
You know what to do, but to help expedite things, I suggest that you or your representative send a letter to the South Carolina State Election Commission pointing out that using touch screen computers to count the votes in secret violates the prohibition in Article II, § 1 against secret vote counting, and I would demand that they take immediate action to implement the use of paper ballots which are counted by hand in public to conduct the upcoming primary. I would notify them that you will take legal action as soon as possible to seek an injunction requiring that the election process comply with Article II or postponing the primaries until such time as they can be conducted in a Constitutional manner.
As time is of the essence, I suggest that you take action immediately. The election integrity community expects you to take action. More than 92% of Americans want you to take action! Only the clueless do not care. Only the power hungry want to keep the votes counted in secret!
Where do you stand? My friend, John Russell, and millions of Americans think that you truly stand for the best interests of all Americans. I hope they’re right! I hope that you will take this opportunity to prove it to us all!
If you seize it, then it will catapult you into the limelight on two issues which already have widespread support. Our government should abide by the Constitution, and our votes should be counted in public, not in secret!
I know that there are registered Republican voters in South Carolina who would be happy to join as plaintiffs in this landmark case. If you want to call John Edwards’ campaign to volunteer or ask him to take action in South Carolina, the phone numbers are (919) 636-3131 for his national headquarters and 803-251-0168 for his South Carolina headquarters.
Carpe diem,
Mark A. Adams JD/MBA
Mark Adams speaks at the FCC Hearing in Tampa. This short video has a lot of information about my work. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAni0WoI7LI
Zogby Poll on Electronic Voting – 92% are concerned about secret vote counting
http://www.zogby.com/templates/printnews.cfm?id=1163
South Carolina State Election Commission
http://www.scvotes.org/about_the_sec
Link to South Carolina Constitution Article II Right of Suffrage
http://www.scstatehouse.net/scconstitution/a02.doc
My article "South Carolina Elections Are UNCONSTITUTIONAL!?!" published on OpEdNews.com
http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_mark_a___080114_south_carolina_elect.htm
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