An Alternet article today reports on the secret work the DNC has been involved in to ensure the election is not stolen this year. BradBlog has his doubts ... he's asking for facts, facts, facts ... but at long last it looks like we're getting some clear signals that the Democrats are NOT going to be duped this time.
Steve Rosenfeld was on hand in SF several weeks back at the screening of Stealing America to talk to the small audience. At that time, he said he was really terrified about the fact that the Obama campaign didn't appear to be taking the threat of a Republican theft of the election seriously. He said attempts to discuss this with Obama campaign had been unsuccessful. But now he reveals that the DNC has been working secretly behind the scenes to ensure NO REPEAT of election theft this time around.
From today's article:
Implicit in the hand wringing is the question, 'Where is the Democratic Party when it comes to safeguarding the vote?'
The answer, according to lawyers and others who been pushing the Democratic National Committee to be pro-active on electronic voting issues, is that the DNC has assembled a nationwide team tasked to voting machine concerns. They have been at work behind the scenes since the start of early voting -- following up with state and local officials when problems arise, these lawyers say. While the DNC's effort may not seem apparent or sufficient to activists, those doing this work say it is unprecedented and comprehensive.
"Yes, the DNC's election protection program includes a voting machine task force -- it includes experienced e-voting litigators, experts on the various types of machines, voting rights lawyers and other specialists," said Justin Levitt, DNC National Voter Protection Counsel. "Our election protection effort, including our e-voting team, are prepared to respond rapidly and effectively to issues as they arise, including any issues involving technology.
"For example, during observation of logic and accuracy testing in New Mexico, we caught and fixed a ballot definition error before a single vote was threatened. We are monitoring voter protection issues around the country very closely, and responding in real-time -- often behind the scenes, but always active."
In a "Promote the Vote" memo sent to Obama volunteer lawyers:
The DNC's program began by tracking the nuts and bolts of voting in every election jurisdiction in the country, the memo said. That survey, begun after the 2006 election, catalogued arcane but important details: the county officials responsible for various voting functions; the voter registration standards and procedures; the procedures to verify voter registrations, maintain voter lists and purge voters; the voting machines used, including how machines are allocated to polling places, the security practices, the contractors who programmed them, vote count and audit procedures; the procedures for absentee voting and provisional ballots; Election Day preparations; polling place procedures; where vote counts are posted, and early voting practices.
The article quotes extensively from Justin Levitt, DNC National Voter Protection Counsel who tells voters, campaign volunteers or activists to all the voter information hotline 877-us4obama (877-874-6226) with concerns and problems.
Given the magnificent manner in which this entire campaign has been conducted, do we really believe they haven't been addressing the core reason for the failure of the Democratic party in secure the WH since 2000?