Check for web archive captures
Will you need to "steal back your vote" tomorrow?
By mickielynn on 2008-11-03 13:01:00
"Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the
vote." Benjamin Franklin (1706 to 1790). A quote taken from the recent Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace weekly newsletter.
When we think of the model of democratic government one of its most important foundations is the idea of free and fair
elections. One person, one vote. Literate citizens over 18 years of age can vote universally, except in some U.S. states where
prisoners or ex-felons on parole are not allowed to vote. Every vote is counted equally. There is careful observation of the
voting process and transparency in the recording and tallying of votes. This is the standard that we demand when we choose
our leaders. Our government has said repeatedly that there can be no true Democracy without a way for people to freely
choose their leaders.
Are we losing our fundamental democratic right to vote here in the United States of America?
Looking back on the past two Presidential elections with the focus of victory or defeat in Florida in 2000 and then in Ohio in
2004. Many major threats to our abilities to vote democratically have been revealed. They've been compounded by the use
of electronic voting machines, and absentee ballots provided by private companies such as Diebold and its many-named
subsidiaries. For a detailed description of the "Man in the middle" electronic vote stealing technique used in Ohio in 2004
and links to other voting fraud details you can read or listen to an interview with election expert Mark Crispin Miller
electronic election fraud poised to be repeated
New information has revealed that the current Justice Department has politicized investigations of so called "voter fraud."
The requirements of the "Help America Vote Act" (A title possibly ghost written by George Orwell) have made the situation
even worse by forcing states to adopt hackable and vote-flipping electronic machines instead of optically scanned paper
ballots or mechanical machines (like our own NY State lever machines).
Some of these abuses have been described in a comic book format by journalist Greg Palast and politician Robert Kennedy
Jr. You can read the comic book in PDF form
StealBackYour Vote!
If you don't like comics, then you can read the same information in a Rolling Stone article also written by Kennedy and
Palast Block The Vote
This year people are organizing and fighting back against attempts to "cage" supress, disenfranchise, discourage and steal
the votes of millions of voters. First some historical background or scroll down to read some things that you can do to
protect your own vote and the votes of others.
Early in the history of the United States only white men who owned a certain amount of property were permitted to vote.
Over time and after struggles that involved the liberty, health, safety, economic rights, and sometimes the actual lives of
those fighting for their freedom--first men of all economic classes, then women, then African Americans and Native
Americans fought for and won the right to vote. But not every person had the same rights in every state. There were poll
taxes, trick questions, threats, intimidation, loss of homes and jobs, physical attacks, denial at the polls, limited access, lost
ballots, stuffed ballot boxes and many other methods of continuing to discriminate or steal local elections.
After the civil rights struggles of the 1960's white, middle and upperclass Americans believed that these problems were
pretty much over, but many poor people, people of color, or people supporting the "wrong" candidate in partisan
communities knew otherwise. Most recently, people with disabilities have been fighting for the right to cast their votes with
dignity, equal opportunity and privacy.
Until recently, most people felt that our Presidential elections were basically free and fair and that the candidates who won
reflected the will of those who voted. There were reports of abuse but there was also a general sense of trust in the system,
flawed as it was, [with the need for corporate backing to pay for advertisements on publicly owned airwaves, no third party
representation, no second choice votes cast in case of close results or ties, and the strange institution of The Electoral
College, which could contradict the will of the popular vote]. In some ways the use of a paper ballot, marked by hand and
then counted in the presence of observers from all concerned parties (A system that works quite successfully in Canada
today) was the most transparent and effective.
We've been aware of cases of abuse and corruption and of some of the flaws of our electoral system for a long time, but the
events of the last two Presidential elections have shone a spotlight on a new degree of challenges that U.S. voters now face
in casting their votes, having them counted and recorded and being able to trust that a partially privatized, fragmented,
highly politicized and incresingly manipulated system can lead to results that truly reflect the will of the voters.
Now for ways to make sure that your own vote counts: Read and inform yourself before going to vote! If you are a newly
registered voter bring identification with you, preferably picture ID, like a driver's license, but otherwise a utility bill or
other proof of residence with your name and address on it. Vote early in the day if possible (polls open from 6 am to 9 PM
on Tuesday, 11/4/08). That way if any problems arise you have time to come back and correct them. If you notice any
problems with the machine ask a poll worker for help. Take your time, read the sample ballot before you vote and double
check your vote. Try to avoid being given a "provisional ballot" as these are often not counted in a timely way or even at all.
But ask for a paper ballot if you encounter machine breakdowns. Bring your cell phone or borrow another person's phone to
report problems to The Election Protection Coalition's 866-OUR-VOTE
Protect your neighbors' rights to vote: Help bring people to the election site, if long waits are anticipated then bring
folding chairs, food and drink, sources of entertainment to encourage each other to wait patiently. Make voting a celebration
and a source of community pride and enjoyment.
To monitor the vote in your community and help document any fraud and abuse for immediate action: If you've voted
early, come back and support others in their efforts. You can bring a camera or video camera to document problems and can
call the toll-free voter hotline, 1-877-523-2792. For other information and support, and for the most up to date reports on
voting problems visit the website of Election Protection A non partisan election protection site
