Sample Letter to County Legislator for Paper Ballot Resolution
Dear Legislator, Voters want a voice in how they will be voting from 2007 onward. I urge you to support accurate elections and pass a resolution for reliable paper ballots, counted with a precinctbased ballot scanner. Our county Election Commissioners should choose a voting system that provides a paper backup marked directly by the voter. A piece of paper printed by a computerized voting machine is an inadequate substitute for a ballot that the voters themselves marked. We do not want to buy Version 1.0 of a computerized system, which is what DREs will be. Public confidence in elections using touchscreen DREs will be lower. That lack of confidence will decrease voting participation. And lack of public confidence will lead to cynicism about our democracy. Many communities across our country conduct successful elections with paper ballot voting. It is time to move to a voting method that gives New Yorkers a real mechanism for verified voting and safe, accurate recounts. A resolution from the County Legislature lets you - my elected representative - protect my vote. How can I make the Election Commissioners responsive to my concerns? They are not elected but are appointed! We elected our legislators to represent our interests. And this is a perfectly appropriate opportunity.
Sincerely,