New Jersey E Voting ?!?!

It is spreading everywhere. Electronic voting machines once thought of as the "fix" to the electoral problems associated with the 2000 presidential elections have been on the march throughout the country.

These machines are simple, user friendly, and easy to use. Many of these machines even have little prompts to ease your voting process. Some may even have little cartoon figures assisting you throughout the process.

However, most of all they are easy to electronically crack, hack, and break into. That is right folks. electronic voting machines have been used already in last 4 years and have been proven to be extremely vulnerable to hackers and mildly competent computer geeks. (see the report released by Johns Hopkins University). Another investigation by the New Zealand Herald (read it its worth it) found out that indeed the makers of these voting machine's are contributors to the Republican National Committee. Walden O'Dell the CEO of Diebold (one of three voting machine manufacturers) has said he was "committed to helping Ohio to deliver its electoral votes to the president next year."

After 2000 it is hard to think that an election can be once again skewed by a simple computer geek who happens to be an ideologue. It could void a whole counties or state's ballots if there are enough of them.

The thing that worries me most however, is that I MAY HAVE TO VOTE ON ONE (see nytimes article). As many more New Jerseyites will also have that possibility I urge you all to go to your county official and get an absentee ballot. It is the only way to guarantee that you have a paper trail of your vote.

Here is an example of why a paper trail would be important. A recent FDU poll in NJ says the big two are statistically tied up in the state. New Jersey is also a state that usually gives about 5% to the Indy candidates. Sounds familiar? New Jersey among other states can be the Florida of 2004.

Help is needed folks. If they want a recount and you HAVE a copy of your paper ballot (which I urge you all to make) you can send that in as proof of your vote. Those of use voting on the machines well guess what... no receipt for you.

Think of how bad it would be if VISA called you and said they wanted to charge you $500 for something you bought for only $100. Good thing you kept that receipt huh?

Fellow New Jersey residents please go to http://www.njelections.org/loc_officials_doe.html in order to contact your local election official and find out what kind of machine you will be voting on in 2 weeks. UPDATE: Hudson county IS using e-voting machines this election and they do NOT provide a paper trail. Click here to fill out an application for absentee ballot

If it is electronic I suggest voting absentee. In New Jersey you can get an absentee ballot in person up to November 1st. If you want them to mail it, you can get one within 7 days of the election.

It is your vote and unfortunately after the 2000 election we can't afford to trust our government with our vote anymore. It is up to you to get it right.