Reichert, McMorris and Hastings Absent as Co-Sponsors of Voter Verified Paper Trail Bill.

Some 211 members of Congress from both parties have signed on as Co-Sponsors of a Congressional Bill to require a voter verified paper trail for elections. All 6 of Washington’s Democratic Congressmen have signed up as co-sponsors of House Bill 550.

Washington’s three Republican Congressmen, Dave Reichert (WA 8), Cathy McMorris (WA 5) and Doc Hastings (WA 4) are absent as co-sponsors of HB 550. Congressman Rush Holt of New Jersey is the prime sponsor.

HB 550 would also require that there be a mandatory recount of 2% of all ballots to check for errors or fraud. The title of HB 550 reads Title: To amend the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to require a voter-verified permanent paper record or hard copy under title III of such Act, and for other purposes.

According to CNN, 27 states require by law a voter verified paper trail, 8 others do it, and 15 states have no requirements for safeguards.

There is a need for uniformity and consistency in election results. The 2000 and 2004 elections resulted in a loss of voter confidence in the integrity of our electoral system. The 2000 Presidential election was decided by a 5/4 vote of a conservative US Supreme Court. Some still question the 2004 vote also as a tainted election, particularly because of the Ohio results.

Republicans like McMorris, Reichert and Hastings don’t care because their party was the winner(?) in the Presidential elections. Republicans have deliberately tried to suppress votes in Democratic areas. Questions about the integrity of voting machines like Diebold remain.

As CNN noted, legislation to create a paper trail for voters in Maryland failed to passs their Legislature. So voters will be using machines that voters touch to record votes – there will be no way to verify the accuracy of the final vote because there will be no paper ballots available for a recount.

Reichert, McMorris and Hastings are out of touch with updating our national voting system and installing safeguards to protect the voting process. Just one more reason to vote them out of office.

McMorris is being challenged by Democrat Peter Goldmark.

Reichert is being challenged by Democrat Darcy Burner

Hastings is being challenged by Democrat Richard Wright.