THERE ARE TWO WAYS YOU CAN HELP: DONATE or VOLUNTEER TO HELP

Dear Virginia Voter,

This is probably the most important election season in our lifetime.  Control over the future of this nation and the world will rest in the hands of a single election this November.  It will be eight years since Florida, but unfortunately our election system still remains vulnerable to malfunction, inaccuracy, and outright fraud.

The Southern Coalition for Secured Voting is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization that is leading the fight to ensure that our election system is as secure as possible and that all our votes are counted and counted accurately.  We successfully pushed North Carolina to a paper ballot based election system with random audits of the machines to ensure accuracy and detect fraud.  In Virginia we successfully banned the future purchase of all touchscreen machines that are highly susceptible to fraud and cause long lines at the polls.  After years of pressure, the Virginia General Assembly just a few days ago, passed SB35 which will finally allow recounts in the state (Up to now, you could only retabulate machine print outs- no recounting of the ballots was allowed).

Despite the gains, there will be many opportunities this fall for mischief.  The Southern Coalition for Secured Voting needs your help to execute our 2008 Election Protection Program.  Our plan of action for Virginia has six points:

1.  Continuing to push for legislation in Virginia to provide paper ballots, mandatory random audits, open and real recounts, and proper security for the voting machines.

2.  Continuing to push for federal legislation in the form of HR5036 which would provide for emergency paper ballots at all polling location so that no one can be turned away.

3.  Establishing our poll worker recruiting and training program to ensure we have election officials who understand and are dedicated to ensuring fair elections.

4.  Providing Election Monitors to provide security coverage for polling locations.

5.  Ensuring proper procedure in the distribution of voting machines by local boards of elections, so that all polling locations will have enough machines and ballots.

6.  Distributing voter education material so that voters know their rights when they run into deceptive political material and voter suppression tactics.

The last two years have seen two statewide races in Virginia decided by less than one percentage point.  We know that Virginia will be battleground for both the control of Congress and for the first time in many years the Presidency.  It is essential that we protect our election system, but we cannot do it without your help.  Remember, our election system and results are only as good as the counting process.  It is not enough just to vote, we must ensure each vote is counted and counted accurately.  Thank you for your support.