Washblog

We need your help. Last year, Washington citizens helped beat back a proposal that would threaten verifiable voting in Washington by allowing ballots to be cast over the Internet. This year, a new effort is under way. House Bill 2483 and Senate Bill 6238 are a well-intended effort to enfranchise service voters and overseas voters, but they do not offer voters a secret, secure ballot.  These bills would allow voters to return their ballot by fax or e-mail, one of the least secure methods of transmission, and one that would require voters to give up a secret ballot. Military and overseas voters can be served without compromising security and privacy.

The House bill has passed, so the action is now on the Senate side. You can help! Take just a minute to send Senators a message opposing Senate Bill 6238 in its current form, and then pass this on:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=28208

If voted ballots are returned electronically, there's no security, there's no secrecy and there's no way to recount or audit. Those ballots and even the voting system are endangered. Our men and women in uniform, and our citizens overseas, deserve every opportunity to vote, but it does not enfranchise voters if a systems allows votes to be lost or stolen undetectably. There is a better alternative: send blank ballots to voters electronically, so they can print, mark and send them back more through more secure channels.

Please tell your lawmakers to oppose SB 6238 as written:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/199/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=28208

Your letter will be sent to Senate leaders Lisa Brown and Tracy Eide, SB 6238 sponsor Steve Hobbs, and to your own Senator, so you should expect replies from Senators other than your own.

Thank you for taking action, and for all you do!

Best regards,

The Team at Verified Voting