Special Voting Edition

August 23, 2004

On August 23, TomPaine.com devoted an entire issue to voting. Why? Because it'll be a tight election. Thirty-five million voters will use electronic voting machines to cast their ballots. Hardware and software will malfunction. Amateurs have already hacked into some of the software being used. Since the vast majority of e-voting terminals do not provide a paper trail, there will be no tangible record to recount. And the voter intimidation and list purging that plagued Election 2000 has already started again.

The dispute over the Bush/Gore recount left our nation bitterly divided to the detriment of us all. It's not too late to do something to avoid a repeat. But we must act now, and act quickly.

We present you with articles, reports and activities you can engage in to help make November 2 as flawless and true a voting day as possible. The Opinion pieces describe the nature and the scope of the problem, a report in Wonky But Worth It gives you something concrete to take to your local election officials, and the Action items give you ways to help prevent fraud.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Together, let's make sure that it never becomes one.

A Chill In Florida

Bob Herbert

Monday 9:10 AM

Continuing his series on stealing the vote in Florida , Bob Herbert gets the goods on the Florida GOP. They're moving forward on an unfounded voter fraud cause in order to intimidate African-American get-out-the-vote workers, and they've already tried to purge thousands of voters from the rolls. Combined with Florida's vulnerable electronic voting machines, there's a chill coming from the statehouse.

Saving The Vote

Paul Krugman

Monday 8:51 AM

Its well within the realm of possibility that the election results on November 3rd will be suspect. In Florida alone, electronic voting machines are already recognized as insecure, and local officials have been intimidating get-out-the-vote workers. Paul Krugman warns that the time to act is now. Get your absentee ballot and make sure your vote is counted—by hand.

Women Demand A Paper Trail

Jim Hightower

Monday 8:47 AM

In our long history of extending the franchise, women fought a pitched battle less than a century ago—and they're not about to go back into silence without another fight. Jim Hightower praises the decision of the League of Women voters to make the fight for paper balloting their own.

The New Hanging Chads

The New York Times Editorial Board

Monday 8:46 AM

If a person enters the wrong voting precinct or the voting records are somehow incorrect, that person is now allowed a "provisional ballot." That scenario happens to 6 million Americans every election. The problem is that the rules are unclear, and in the event of a close election, it's uncertain just how those votes will be counted. The New York Times Editorial Board warns America that unless we fix the system for provisional ballots, we're at risk of disenfranchising many more that the 40,000 purged from Florida's rolls.

Could They Steal The Election This Time?

Ronnie Dugger

Monday 8:42 AM

We all know about the vulnerabilities of electronic voting. But this intensely reported piece by veteran journalist Ronnie Dugger comes close to being one of the most definitive magazine articles on the subject. Its jackhammer reporting style is not for those looking for a quick read. But the experience is well worth it.