Holt continues to confuse the issue by using the phrase "voter verified paper ballots" to mean what we call PAPER TRAILS.

His new bill provides some funding for conversion to paper ballot systems in November 2008, but does NOT require paper ballots to be used.

STOP "RUSH HOLT"

New Hampshire, like Stalin's Communist Russia, had paper ballots.

Yet the results in both "states" are and have been questioned.

Now Bev Harris has pointed out that a chain of custody violation in NH, as in Stalininst Russia, can invalidate that which the paper ballot system promised to remove (uncertainty).

When the paper ballots are counted the question remains, were they the proper ballots or imposters injected into the system thru a shoddy chain of custody mechanism?

Like Stalin inferred, neither the type of voter nor the type of ballot determines the outcome, instead, what determines the outcome is those who control and count "the ballots".

What counts most in the final analysis is who counts most.

An evil empire counting holy paper ballots does not equate to a holy election batman.

I like the direction Holt wants to go, and I do not like the direction self-appointed EI movement elitists have gone for the past 40 years ... because they have gone to where we are now ... which we all know is not a good place.

I think that since the majority of legislation favors corporations ...they actually write it. Many who liked Holt's original bill couldn't recognize it after microsoft's input.It will only be citizen outcry that will make them do the right thing. That's why it is imperative that Brad get on major news shows.

Alan, kailyKos has this:

Censorship is the strongest drive in human nature; sex is a weak second." - Phil Kerby

Sometimes beating back the right-wing activists just isn't enough, and you have to administer a good public humiliation.

(dKos). I don't get it based upon bloggers here who have said Kos is a sensational censorship guy.

"People are strange when you're a stranger ..."

In this interview, Holt successfully links his HR811 with voter confidence that votes are being counted and accurately.

Don't let him get away with this!

Why is he persisting with HR811?! His persistence reminds me totally of our public education bureaucracy persisting in its insistence that No Child Left Behind is basically a life-saving law for America's public school students, and that all we have to do to "make it good" is to re-shape, reframe, reauthorize, and strengthen it!

No, no, no, and no!!! Dump HR811 and write a GOOD piece of election reform legislation!

All paper ballots scanned into a optical scan voting machine should include a unique identifying number so that they can be tracked in the event of a recount.

By doing this,the possible scenarios including "ballot stuffing" and issues of chain of custody should they arise can be zeroed in on and culpability can then be determined or some other explanation can be arrived at.

Holt's bill should include this as a mandatory requirement. This would go a long way toward discouraging those who would game the system and also would make our elections more "democratic".

We have to hand count the paper ballots in the precinct, immediately after the polls close and with members of the public watching. Google Nancy Tobi for details

Well why wouldn't every state want to do the RIGHT THING? Jus asking!
How about some standard chain of custody procedures along with those paper ballot
OPTIONAL LEGISLATURE??????????????????????????
But hey, nice to see some national coverage on the scandously quiet internal threat to democracy. Thanks Keith and Rush!