If you live in Maine and know 100 people (or live within driving distance of 100 people), then you can change the results of the gay rights referendum from last Tuesday. An email from Black Box Voting:
I’ve been getting a lot of calls and emails from folks both for and against gay
rights, the first group wondering how to get this recount thing off the ground,
the second group kinda mad at Black Box Voting for leading the charge.So here are some updates:
1. The $2500 is available. People who’ve been getting our emails have stepped up
to the plate with this, and all it takes is a phone call now2. The holdup is the petition. Black Box Voting is not going to organize this.
It takes 100 Maine voters on a petition to do this thing. 100 names:
http://www.mainelegislature.or…If someone gets 100 names on a petition, call me and I’ll help push the buttons
for #1.
Wire transfers or overnight means tomorrow’s deadline is challenging for handing
over the money.Now as to “why do it?” and “where are the numbers anyway?” and what would happen
if the recount goes forward?Why? Because Maine does happen to have the best voter’s rights in the country
right now, but it’s not great — they use concealed computerized vote counting,
violating citizens right to see their own election counting. Maybe I should call
it “the least worst” voting rights in the country. We have a confluence of key
opportunities that is very rare for the issue of concealed computer counts.1) The recount is affordable
2) There are probably interested citizens willing to seek it
3) The firm with control over programming Maine’s elections is one that concerns
many citizens, not just Maine, but also in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New
Hampshire and Vermont. LOTS of people want more light shed on these guys.
4) If machine counts don’t match the recount in any location, or if the chain of
custody is broken in any way for any of the recount ballots the implications
will affect all of New England because one firm controls all the voting machines
(LHS Associates)
5) This will give us a good opportunity to examine chain of custody in Maine
There’s more to the email, but the basic story is this – for $25,000 and 100 Maine citizen signatures (although you should probably collect a few hundred if possible), anyone in the state can order a recount of November 3rd’s vote. It’s worth a shot since it’s so easy, and it could mean a victory for election, integrity, too.
Any takers?