Note Douglas Hill's comment the Association of Counties are in support of the bill, contingent on the discretion of the counties to make the changes, if so desired.
That is an important distinction from former bills making the rounds of the federal stamp of approval. Those didn't offer an opt-in situation, they were mandated requirements.
It remains puzzling why more U.S. Congress members in House of Representatives have not yet signed onto Holt's bill as co-sponsors.
Introduced in the House, January 17, 2008, the bill H.R.5036 Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008 remains on-hold in two House committees.
To direct the Administrator of General Services to reimburse certain jurisdictions for the costs of obtaining paper ballot voting systems for the general elections for Federal office to be held in November 2008, to reimburse jurisdictions for the costs incurred in conducting audits or hand counting of the results of the general elections for Federal office to be held in November 2008, and for other purposes.
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h5036/show
Obviously, the emergency situation of a Presidential-year election isn't such an emergency.
We've proposed any member of the House who believes the bill is truly "an emergency" bill should initiate a discharge motion to bring it to the full House for an up or down vote.
That way, we'll all be apprised of who signs the discharge petition, and who doesn't within a mere few days. None of this waiting around to determine if your representative is going to get support for something else if he/she co-sponsors the Holt emergency legislation.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Emergency Act Requires Emergency Might or All is an Act
http://netthetruthonline.blogspot.com/2008/02/emergency-act-requires-emergency-might.html
Members not signing who are in support of the concept would be hard pressed to explain why they don't want the measure to go up for a full House vote.
Those such as John Murtha would be put on the spot as to why he hasn't signed on as a co-sponsor before a crucial election where he has already made a statement his super-delegate status may have an "effect" on the outcome of the choice of a President of the United States.
We, the people, too want that choice. And increasingly across the United States among the factors in choosing a President are potential "recounts" of a Primary election of ballots.
If there is nothing to recount, what's the point?
(Net the Truth Online)
National Association of Counties already has pledged its support, while Douglas Hill, the executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said the bill makes sense conceptually.
However, Hill said it's important for counties to retain discretion about whether to change.
"We remain confident that the voting systems that are certified for use in Pennsylvania -- including optical scans and DREs -- are all secure and well-managed," Hill said.
Fayette ballot change may get boost
By Chris Foreman
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, March 3, 2008
Counties interested in converting to paper-based voting systems for the general election could receive federal funding for the equipment if a bill backed by two Pittsburgh-area congressmen passes.
In particular, the proposed reimbursement would come in handy for Fayette County, where commissioners Thursday approved $580,120 to add a new paper-scan machine to each of its 103 voting precincts in time for the April 22 primary.
Democratic U.S. Reps. Mike Doyle and Jason Altmire said they support a proposal by U.S. Rep. Rush Holt of New Jersey to disburse as much as $500 million for counties wanting to change to paper-based systems.
The bill, known as the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008, could reserve money for audits of election results counted by hand...
The recent transition to direct-recording electronic voting machines, like touch-screen systems, has been criticized by some voter advocacy groups who believe they could be tampered with.
Fayette's newest machines, called eScans, allow voters to mark their choices on a paper ballot that is fed into the system through a slot like a fax machine. The results are stored on a flash card and the ballot falls into a locked compartment.
The eScans join the county's eSlate machines, on which voters use a dial to rotate through the choices in each race before pressing a button to select a candidate.
Fayette used funding from legislation to fix voting irregularities claimed during the presidential election in November 2000 to cover most of the $1.22 million cost of the eSlates.
But Fayette officials said some senior citizens didn't like the machines, and more systems were needed to alleviate long lines at some precincts.
The county approved a $170,000 down payment for the eScans. It is covering the remaining cost over a three-year period using a loan with an interest rate of 4.23 percent.
Fayette Commissioner Chairman Vince Zapotosky supports Holt's bill.
"If the federal government is going to reconsider its position post-2000, then we're ahead of the curve and we won't have to adapt like we did with the DRE system," he said.
The National Association of Counties already has pledged its support, while Douglas Hill, the executive director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, said the bill makes sense conceptually.
However, Hill said it's important for counties to retain discretion about whether to change.
"We remain confident that the voting systems that are certified for use in Pennsylvania -- including optical scans and DREs -- are all secure and well-managed," Hill said...
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/fayette/s_555261.html
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