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Election Monitoring

• Michelle Gabriel's Monitoring Electronic Voting Systems in California (v 2.2, 10/08) : MS Word, PDF, HTML
  This document describes what to look for when monitoring electronic voting machines and processes involved in the counting of the voting.

• Election Verification Exit Poll

• Citizens' Election Verification Poll

• BlackBoxVoting's Citizen Tool Kits

• Election Protection Wiki

• Video The Vote

• Monitor Local Elections and Procedures

• Sample poll watching form for LA but helpful anywhere : PDF

• www.ElectionDefenseAlliance.org/verified_voting_transparency_project_election_monitoring_checklists

• www.ElectionDefenseAlliance.org/were_counting_the_votes_an_election_preparedness_kit

• www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Guide_to_establishing_a_pollwatching_group

• www.Election-Reform.org/monitor/close_of_polls.html

• www.ss.ca.gov/elections/elections_fraud.htm

• www.ElectionDefenseAlliance.org/election_day_rapid_response (2006)

• Report on monitoring the Nov 06 election in House district 11 in CA, (3/07, 49 pgs) : PDF (2.8 MB)

• Report on monitoring the Nov 06 election in Alameda County, CA, League of Women Voters (6/07, 46 pgs) : PDF (147 KB), MS Word (251 KB)

• 1% Manual Tally Observer Report for CA11's Nov 06 Election (1/07, 5 pgs)
  www.CountedAsCast.com/docs/CD11_Manual_Tally_Report_Jan01.pdf (36 KB)

California State Elections Code

Click here for references to California law.

More Links

• Video the Vote : VideoTheVote.org

• Donate for a voter-subsidized exit poll : ElectionDefenseAlliance.org/independent_exit_polls

• www.VelvetRevolution.us/electionstrikeforce/

Public Records Requests

Public Records Request Letter Generator
* * * * *

"Date: Sat, 11 Nov 2006 17:26:05 -0600
From: Bev Harris
Subject: Can you folks get these out to the people you know need it?

Here are four attachments -- one crafted for each major vendor. These provide the nuts and bolts of a rudimentary audit using public records. The specific audit logs are matched to each vendor's system.

Use as you see fit, I have put Black Box Voting only on the cover page. Feel free to use only your group's letterhead, or your own name, or your candidate's campaign name, on the top of these requests.

Note that there is wide, wide variation in costs among jurisdictions. Also, a strategic issue -- I have been propagating these out through candidates who have called me for help, have not shotgunned them out by any means. Candidates have the ability to expedite getting the records. Doesn't matter which candidate it is -- because they have timelines for recounts and contests, "in a timely manner" which is often the legal wording for compliance has a different meaning for candidates than for you and I.

It is very normal for elections offices to take their own sweet time (as in a month or two) to respond to citizens. Varies widely. Also, you have to do a LOT of follow up. Some will send it to you cooperatively; others will send you the wrong thing and pretend they are being responsive; others will omit items; still others will price it exhorbitantly. Some will refuse altogether and dare you to sue.

Candidates, however, have more clout than you do. They can really raise a stink if they can't get the records.

The request #2, for problem reports, is especially useful -- and really great when matched up with specific citizen reports. For example, I have reports of specific machines going down in certain precincts, and I'd sure better get documentation of the technician service report, since I know the serial number and time of day certain machines were serviced. The Sequoia WinEDS event log is extremely informative. The GEMS databases have been released now in Memphis and Alaska, so Diebold can't really claim they are "proprietary."

If you have questions, ask. I'm more accessible by e-mail than phone.

Best,

Bev Harris
Founder
Black Box Voting"

* * * * *

Sample Documents For Downloading

These are in MS Word (doc, about 53KB) format and Adobe Acrobat (pdf, about 130KB).

• Diebold (MS Word, Acrobat)

• Sequoia (MS Word, Acrobat)

• ES&S (MS Word, Acrobat)

• Hart InterCivic (MS Word, Acrobat)

  * * * * *
  
  "This Tool Kit is a Declaration of Independence for Citizens: www.BlackBoxVoting.org/toolkit.pdf
  
  Black Box Voting is a nonpartisan, nonprofit 501c(3) elections watchdog group funded entirely by citizen donations. If you believe we provide a valuable service, please help support our work -- go to www.BlackBoxVoting.org/donate.html or mail to:
  Black Box Voting
  330 SW 43rd St Suite K
  PMB 547
  Renton WA 98055"
  

Nobody, and no machine, should be counting votes in secret.