Shaffer continued that she supports both precinct-level and central optical-scanner counts. Lupo added that the voters themselves should not be left out.
Said Shaffer, bigger polling places are needed; there are chain-of-custody problems with voting by mail. Lupo said that with the Republican legislature now in office, precincts tend to be far from where people live, making it more difficult for disabled people, senior citizens, and college students.
Shaffer said that she would take this up with the SoS; county-level hearings are needed.
We need to hear from the people; we may need to hold our own hearings and invite election officials to attend.
All this material and more is accessible at www.electiondefense.or/ojec, said Lupo.
Added Shaffer, the newly elected attorney general began serious discussions about opening a sounding board for citizens he promised during his campaign [bravo—ed.].
News hound John Gideon of votersunite.org next put in a brief appearance to report the most important recent event, Colorado’s decertification and conditional certification of many of its voting systems.
He also wondered about how all this activity involving faulty election machinery and practices will affect the nation. Election officials are starting to worry, he said. The media are now forced to pay some attention to this “asexual” issue. There is no time to change much before November 2008, unless the alternative is hand counting paper ballots which, he said, would be disastrous.
State laws need change across the country; many states remain indifferent to these issues, and there the people need to become angry, and angrier, as active as they were protesting the Vietnam war.
Lots is at stake in 08, agreed Mary Ann.
Added Gideon, there is already conversation about 2012.
In other news, he followed up, 174 pieces of computer chips containing election software were lost from a FedEx truck between San Diego and San Francisco.
If you find them, let them know. . . .
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