Federal take over of elections H.R. 5036, Emergency Assistance for Secure
Elections Act of 2008

http://capwiz.com/jbs/issues/alert/?alertid=10932736


Action Alert
Oppose H.R. 5036, Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of
2008 [THOMAS] House Bill H.R. 5036 would purportedly increase the security
of the U.S. election process by reimbursing jurisdictions that voluntarily
replace Direct Recording Electronic voting systems with voter-verifiable paper
ballot systems in time for the 2008 elections. The bill would also grant the
Election Administration Commission (EAC) new audit regulatory powers and funding
to pay for vote count audits of randomly selected precincts, as well as pay for
hand counts of paper ballots cast in the 2008 elections. Critics of H.R. 5036
assert:

It would significantly expand an unconstitutional federal power grab to
control elections that was initiated through the disastrous Help America Vote
act of 2002 (HAVA) with its establishing of the Election Administration
Commission (EAC).
A voter-verified paper ballot voting system is no guarantee against wholesale
election fraud. Electronic optical scanners used to count votes on paper ballots
can still be hacked or tampered with.
The proposed EAC audit powers undermine the benefit of the paper ballot
system the bill seeks to promote, because per the proposed EAC audit policy only
"random" audits would be subsidized and none of the bill's $100 million of
authorized funding could be used for "targeted" audits directed at where there
is a suspicion of election fraud.
Undesirable consequences may result from the bill's augmentation of the Help
America Vote Act of 2002. The EAC might invite U.N. international observers to
be placed throughout America to jointly monitor the fairness of U.S. elections.
Bill Status:
H.R. 5036 is categorized as a suspension bill. Currently the bill is in the
committee stage. It can not be amended and requires a two thirds majority vote
to pass. H.R. 5036 is also a stopgap measure, with Rep. Rush Holt's long term
goals contained in H.R. 811 which should likewise be opposed.
Oppose the unconstitutional federal usurpation of the rights of states to
control elections. We strongly object to the unconstitutional means by which
H.R. 5036 would use the people's desire for voter-verified paper ballots as bait
for establishing centralized control over elections. The constitutionally
established balance of powers must be restored to prevent an over centralization
of federal power leading to a dictatorship.

Recommended Action:
Please use the talking points below to urge your congressman to oppose H.R.
5036, The Emergency Assistance for Secure Elections Act of 2008. E-mail this
link to others in your sphere of influence and ask them to voice their
opposition to H.R. 5036 as well.
Related Reading:

Oppose H.R. 811
End UN Interference in Our Elections
Saving Our Elections







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