If you care about saving money and secure elections

If you care about saving money and secure elections, please take action with Verified Voting.

Keep in mind: it's far better to use your own words rather than click and send the suggested message. Please share this with all concerned Marylanders.

You can send your message using this link: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26912

This is what I sent:

First, I want to thank you for your leadership in 2007, passing legislation and budgeting money needed to make Maryland's elections trustworthy by 2010. This was an important step forward.

I worked with legislators and concerned Marylanders back then. I testified before the Senate committee, send emails, made calls. I was back in Annapolis a few weeks ago, and again last week to discuss these issues with friends and leaders in the legislature. Why? Because I am very concerned about what I'm hearing.

After making the correct decisions and passing a good law and a budget to ensure Maryland will convert to trustworthy, cost-effective Optiscan paper ballot voting--the law to make this move passed unanimously--some have advocated costly and unnecessary delays in this transition. Please do not let this happen.

Continued use of these outdated, unreliable DRE machines will cost Maryland $millions in equipment upkeep, repair/replacement and other charges. Maryland would need only about one tenth as many Optiscan machines as DREs, which would save us $millions. This is especially important in these tough financial times. Sen. Madaleno and Del. Gutierrez both shared the grim news about the budget crunch with District 18 voters last week.

Also, use of DRE (touch screen) machines risks an election day (or primary day) debacle, such as happened in Virginia recently. You can read about the Virginia voting machine meltdown online here:

http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=326929&paper=71&cat=104

I trust you will stand by your correct decision and ensure the smooth, timely and cost-saving move to more reliable, most efficient paper-ballot based Optical Scan machines.

Thank you!

This is background from Verified Voting:

If you've sent lawmakers messages in support of verified voting in Maryland this year, thank you! Your efforts are paying off - citizens have headed off a number of attempts to gut the paper ballot law. Lawmakers are listening, but there is still a strong chance that verifiable voting will be delayed.

An election in Virginia this month will help clarify the issue. Two weeks ago, paperless electronic machines in a Fairfax County election reported discrepancies of hundreds of votes on election night, and the discrepancies cannot be satisfactorily resolved. It's a great occasion to remind your Maryland lawmakers that they were wise to move the state away from paperless electronic voting, and that they should not delay any longer. Take just a moment to visit our Action Center and send a message to your lawmakers and Governor O'Malley:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=26912

Please take just a moment to help keep the pressure on, and Maryland will remain on the path to verified elections.

Thank you for all you do.

Best regards,

The Team at Verified Voting