Considering what we heard Senator Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) say on the floor of the Senate yesterday and what was written in the many examples of emails that I received that were written by Senators to their constituents – that there are NO machines available for purchase to the 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines* and that’s why we have to delay implementation of the Tennessee Voter Confidence Act – this is very interesting and enlightening news coming straight outta the Election Assistance Commission today:
The U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) today certified the OpenElect 1.0 voting system by Unisyn Voting Solutions, an optical-scan device with central count and precinct-level count equipment, to the 2005 Voluntary Voting System Guidelines. It is the fourth voting system to achieve federal certification under the EAC Voting System Testing and Certification Program.
An EAC certification means that a voting system has met the requirements of the federal guidelines by passing a series of comprehensive tests conducted by a federally-accredited test laboratory. Manufacturers of certified systems must also meet technical and ethical standards that ensure the integrity of the process and the system as it goes from the test lab to production and into the marketplace.
…
EAC certified its first voting system, a direct recording electronic (DRE) device called the MicroVote EMS 4.0, early last year. Last summer it certified the ES&S Unity 3.2.0.0 optical-scan system and the Premier Assure 1.2 with optical-scan and DRE technology.
So the question now becomes, who was releasing misinformation to our State Representatives and today’s latest certification the reason why the delay bill was rammed through so quickly?
*Not that the machines we purchased had to be certified to the 2005 standards. A Davidson County Chancellor ruled without exception that, contrary to what Secretary of State Tre Hargett had been saying for well over a year, the TVCA does NOT require voting machines federally certified to 2005 standards. Machines certified to 2002 not only meet the requirements of the TVCA but are available in abundance. Also available in abundance, federal dollars that can be used by the state ONLY to pay for for these machines and other election-related materials. Just sayin’.
Yeah – that was the response most people got from the email/phone campaign. Thanks for trying, T. It is amazing how quickly legislators and election officials are willing to accept information given to them by some but not others. There was plenty of info to counter the cost argument but they choose to ignore it.
Yep, my guy essentially said, “I share your concern about getting screwed out of your right to vote, but protecting democracy is so darned expensive!”
Mary, do you have copies of documents that where distributed?