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Urges use of Remote Polling Precincts & Provisional Ballots

Last week, freelance journalist Lynn Landes filed two Temporary Restraining Orders (TRO) in federal district court in Philadelphia. Landes is one of the nation's leading journalists on voting technology and democracy issues. She is attempting to halt the use of voting machines and absentee ballots in the upcoming presidential election. In her lawsuits, Landes says there are two legal standards for any voting process. These standards are described in the oversight function of Federal observers under federal statute, Title 42 § 1973f of the United States Code, (1) "...whether persons who are entitled to vote are being permitted to vote," and (2) "...whether votes cast by persons entitled to vote are being properly tabulated." Landes claims that the use of absentee voting and voting machines fails to meet either standard. She says that the use of absentee ballots and voting machines is effectively unobservable and therefore denies meaningful oversight by election officials, poll watchers, Federal observers, the press, and the public. "This nation's voting system is a total sham", says Landes. "In the upcoming election, a couple of corporations (ES&S and Diebold) with strong ties to the Republican Party will count 80% of the vote in virtual secrecy. Democratic candidates should be in federal court now protesting this insanity. It might be too late after the election." [more

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