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Vote Paper Not Vapor: Circulate the CA Tangible Ballots Initiative

TANGIBLE BALLOT INITIATIVE NEEDS YOUR HELP NOW

TBI Removes Direct Electronic Recording (DRE) Machines from the Legal Definition of a 'Ballot'


Scroll down for Links, Instructions, and the TBI Pledge

RELEASE DATE: MARCH 6, 2008

WHAT

The Tangible Ballot Initiative ensures by law that a paper ballot MUST be the ballot of record, and that electronic voting machines are NOT any longer considered a ballot (as they are under current law). It takes the uncertainty out of the process based on who is Secretary of State.

WHY AND WHEN AND HOW

There probably is nothing more significant the Election Integrity Community can do this year, as a group, in California, than working together to put the Tangible Ballot Initiative (http://www.tangibleballot.com) on the ballot. To accomplish this, we have to muster every resource we can possibly engage during the next six weeks. Yes, six weeks! By April 17, 2008 our petitions must be downloaded, signed by nearly 500,000 registered voters in California and mailed for processing. The final submission ROV deadline is April 24th, but we need time for mail and processing.

This can be done, but only with the sheer will and dedication by the election integrity community and our friends, families, allies, co-workers and groups to whom we belong. We must drive thousands of voters to the www.tangibleballot.com Web site and motivate everyone to download the petition. And then, each person simply needs to obtain the maximum 17 registered voters' signatures on each petition, hold it or mail it in, and then get 17 more, etc.

In a single weekend or two (or during a couple of work-weeks) at most, each person should easily be able to obtain between 100 and 200 signatures. Doing that is the easy part. The more interesting opportunity here is for each one of us to get a dozen or so friends, or super-market passers by, to also circulate the petition.

This could be the seed pearl of an effective state-wide organization, and it is a magnificent opportunity to spread the word to the public about how dire the current elections situation is. By acting now, in 2008, we would take that issue national. But it has taken a lot of work to get to where we are; the necessary elements are present for success, now we need the spark of your coordinated involvement.

DOWNLOAD the TBI CIRCULATION FORM at: http://www.tangibleballot.org/CirculatorForm1.jsp

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Petition Circulator Do's And Don'ts
http://www.tangibleballot.org/pdf/PetitionCirculatorDosAndDonts.pdf

Petition Circulator Legal Rules
http://www.tangibleballot.org/pdf/PetitionCirculatorLegalRules.pdf

WHO

We can't accomplish this as just individuals in the EI movement. There simply aren't enough of us. We need to convince neighbors and friends and family member and our civic organizations of the importance of becoming individual leaders in this effort. Let your local Kiwanis and Rotary, Lions, and similar organizations know that you are immediately available to speak on the voting machine issues, including, but not limited to, the Tangible Ballot Initiative. The truly genius part is enlisting just 10 supporters to engage 10 more voters to accomplish this. And that is the key to success. It works in nearly every organizational effort, and it can work here too. Just get ten people to get ten people and ensure follow up and the job is a success.

Here's the math: If 100 of us committed to solicit just 10 individuals each, who would then agree to seek just 10 others each, with a goal of every person obtaining 100 signatures, we would have 1 MILLION signatures, double what we need! It sounds hard, until you ask around, and as result, realize that the people already know they are being screwed. They just want an outlet, and now we have one upon which everybody can agree; we all agree that solid ballots are key.

NO TIME TO HESITATE

Today, we stand at a crossroad. The crossroad between taking the lead as Election Integrity Advocates to put the Tangible Ballot Initiative (TBI) (www.tangibleballot.com) on the November 4, 2008 Presidential General Election ballot, or to let the effort fail. Why is this important and why should we care?

TBI removes electronic touchscreen machines and Direct Electronic Recording (DRE) machines from the legal definition of a 'ballot'. No more will a new Secretary of State be able to declare machines with secret software owned by corporations to be 'ballots' as has been done twice in the last decade. If we can't see and touch our ballots, how can we ever be sure our votes are counted as cast? Please take up the cause ' NOW - it can change the course of history with your help!

Please go right away to http://www.tangibleballot.org. All the tools you need are there, right now.

Also, you are welcome to write to Harry Lehmann, at his private email, hvl[at]lehmannlaw[dot]com; just be sure to put 'tangible volunteer' in the subject line, and, of course, you are welcome to write a reply back to me. We will all remain at our watch posts, doing our best over time to monitor the system. But the way things are now, with computerized election results, there is often, 'nothing to watch.' The Tangible Ballot Initiative gives us the opportunity to put our talking aside, and to take action, today. For that reason our focus now is on action. Please join me in this worthy effort.

SPECIAL LOCATIONS SUGGESTION

This Friday and Saturday are ORGANIC MARKET DAYS, where our signature gathering will be focused on places like Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's. This Sunday is COFFEE HOUSE DAY, where the focus is on Starbucks, Peets, and your favorite coffee spot.

We'll keep you updated weekly on new spots, but please, please go to www.tangibleballot.org right now and download your first petition. For help on any of this, call me!

Tom Courbat
951-677-6451

Tangible Ballot Initiative (TBI) Pledge

The illustration below is for EXAMPLE ONLY.

To submit a TBI PLEDGE, go to the live fillable form located at: http://www.tangibleballot.org/CirculatorForm1.jsp

I, ____________________ have recruited ten (10) voters who have each agreed to accomplish two outcomes:

1. Recruit 10 additional voters to accomplish outcome #2 before April 17, 2008, and
2. Obtain signatures of 100 registered voters on the TBI petition at www.tangibleballot.com

The ten voters I have recruited are:
Name E-mail Phone #

1. __________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________________
5. __________________________________________________________
6. __________________________________________________________
7. __________________________________________________________
8. __________________________________________________________
9. __________________________________________________________
10. __________________________________________________________

I agree to work closely with these ten voters to assist them in accomplish their two goals.

_________________________ _____________ ______________________ _____________
Printed Name Date Email address Phone

Please submit completed pledge forms to Harry Lehmann at hvlehmann[at]earthlink[dot]net


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