S.3212: A Step Backward for Voting System Transparency

S.3212: A Step Backward for Voting System Transparency

We need your help to halt legislation that could do significant damage to the transparency of America's elections. S.3212, introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT), would allow electronic "verification" records for electronic voting machines, would allow meaningless audits of federal election results, and could stifle the publication of important information about voting system security. If S.3212 becomes law, millions could be forced to depend upon paperless electronic voting systems for many years to come.

Here are some of S.3212's most troubling provisions:

1. S.3212 would allow "independent" vote records that would exist only in computer memory.

2. The bill is written in a way that makes it debateable whether or not the voter will have the opportunity to verify the independent record.

3. S.3212 would place a representative of the voting system industry on the committee that drafts federal voluntary voting systems guidelines.

4. By creating a broad restriction on publishing "confidential commercial information" about voting systems, S. 3212 could restrict the publication of valuable information about the security and reliability of voting systems.

Take action today: tell your Senators that we all deserve more reliable voting systems, and ask them to oppose S. 3212.

Please fill out this form to send the letter below, or edit it as you see fit. Thank you!

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May 22, 2013

Subject:

Dear Senator,

I write to urge you to oppose S.3212, the Bipartisan Electronic Voting Reform Act. S.3212 promises an independent record of every vote cast in federal elections, but this bill falls short of its stated goal, and is likely to do more harm than good. Many of the world's most prominent computer scientists have concluded that a voter-verified paper record of every ballot is crucial to the integrity of elections. Unfortunately, S.3212 does not require a paper record, and would allow for electronic "verification" of electronic ballots. S.3212 contains a number of other troubling provisions that will damage the transparency of America's federal elections. In addition to allowing “independent” vote records that would exist only in computer memory, S.3212 would allow other non-paper verification methods that would increase the costs and burdens of conducting elections without making elections more verifiable. S.3212 is open to interpretation on a fundamental question: would the bill require that it be the voter that verifies the contents of the independent record? S.3212 fails to define the legal status of the independent record in the event of a discrepancy in vote tallies, and fails to require states to use the independent records in post-election audits As so many experts and citizens have said in recent years, voters should not have to trust computer software to trust the results of elections. S.3212 would require such undeserved trust. I urge you to oppose this legislation.
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