Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR SECURE ELECTIONS ACT OF 2008 -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 16, 2008)

SPEECH OF
HON. STEPHANIE TUBBS-JONES
OF OHIO
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008

* Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act because I believe it is essential that we ensure every American's basic right to vote and to have that vote counted.

* Currently, 15 states still use paperless voting machines which have been proven to be unreliable and vulnerable to hacking. In the past two election cycles, voting machines have malfunctioned and votes have been lost forever. Computer scientists across the country have shown how easy it is to hack these voting systems.

* This bill will address these problems by providing the states with financial backing from the Federal Government in order to convert from electronic voting systems to paper ballot voting systems in time for the November 2008 elections. The bill also provides emergency paper ballots if the jurisdiction uses a direct recording electronic voting system which happens to fail.

* Today, 9 percent of the U.S. population records their votes electronically. These numbers vary greatly from State to State. Twelve percent of Ohio votes are recorded electronically; 80 percent of Kentucky voters use electronic ballots. Without an adequate confirmation method. mechanical deficiencies could have a drastic impact on close elections. This problem must not go unnoticed, and must be addressed.

* Considering the tremendous election discrepancies that we have seen take place in this country in 2000 and 2004, we know that we are still dealing with a flawed system. I believe that the passage of this legislation is paramount to ensuring that people throughout this country are not disenfranchised when they attempt to exercise their right to vote.

* The right to vote is a right every citizen of this country deserves. As Members of Congress, we all have an obligation to make sure all of our constituents' votes are counted through the most fair and accurate means available. The right to vote should not be reserved for just some of our constituents, but for all of our constituents. It is for this reason that I introduced the Count Every Vote Act of 2007 which seeks to provide an all-encompassing solution to a broad range of voting irregularities that occurred during the 2004 presidential election. It is for the same reason that I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 5036, the Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008.

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