Cazenovia Pilot

Madison County Democratic Party Adopts formal HAVA position

The Madison County Democratic party submitted to the Cazenvia Pilot their resolution on the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) requirement for new countywide voting machines. Essentially, they resolved that any machines used in Madison County should have a paper ballot with optical scan, in order to ensure the most verifiable vote possible. The full text of the resolution is included below:

Resolution brought to the Madison County Democratic Committee by Jack Rooney and, after discussion, approved unanimously by a voice vote at the meeting on June 6, 2006 at the American Legion Hall in Oneida.

WHEREAS, the federal government has mandated, through the passage of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (“HAVA”), the replacement of voting machines for all elections, beginning in the Fall, 2006;
WHEREAS, the State of New York, implementing the provisions of HAVA, has directed that decisions to purchase voting machines for each county be made upon recommendation of officials of the County Boards of Election, who are appointed with the recommendation of the County Democratic Committee;
WHEREAS, no right is more fundamental to all Americans than the right to vote to elect representatives of their choosing in a secret, secure and accurate ballot; and
WHEREAS, the Committee seeks to persuade its elected and appointed officials to adopt the safest and most secure means of recording and counting votes in all elections.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Madison County Democratic Committee declares, upon review of the Report of the Democratic National Committee (Democracy at Risk), and the Government Accountability Office Report on Electronic Voting Systems (GAO-05-956; Fall 2005) and upon the reports of New Yorkers for Verified Voting, that the safest and most secure of proposed alternatives for voting machines is a paper ballot, with a ballot marker for the disabled and with an optical scan counter; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Madison County Democratic Committee hereby respectfully recommends that its appointed and elected officials choose such a paper ballot with optical scan voting machine for use in Madison County elections; and, be it further
RESOLVED, that the Committee shall review this resolution and this issue at its first meeting following state certification of voting machines.