Big Jolly Politics

politics in Harris County and Texas

Video surfaces demonstrating how eSlate can print a paper record of your vote

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In an update to a press release on Dr. Laura Pressley’s historic election contest appeal posted here back in March, video has surfaced demonstrating how an eSlate machine can print a paper record of your vote. This damning video lays to waste one of the claims that printing a paper record of your vote takes so long to print.

But first a brief background.

Back in June 2015, Dr. Laura Pressley filed an appeal of a district court decision in her contested District 4 Austin City Council run-off race against Greg Casar in December 2014. Upon noticing numerous election irregularities including more ballots than voter names as reported during early voting, she requested a recount in January 2015.

“The ensuing process led to a disturbing revelation that the Travis County paperless electronic voting system may be operating in violation of Texas election law, and, according to court filed documents, it appeared that Travis County may not have employed some of the administrative safeguards designed by the Secretary of State to protect the integrity of the voting process”        

“What we discovered is that the very pillars of our Constitution – specifically voting rights and our system of checks and balances – were not being followed regarding electronic voting systems. As we attempted to verify the results, some official election records came up missing,” Pressley said. “The Texas Legislature put in place specific laws that were intended to help ensure the integrity of the voting process, and Texans deserve to know that their votes are counted correctly,” said Pressley.

“When Pressley asked Travis County to produce statutorily required “images of ballots cast” from the Hart InterCivic voting machines for the recount, the clerk was unable to produce the ballot images that voters saw in the election booth. Instead, what she received were Cast Vote Records (CVRs), which are computer-generated templates of tabulated votes — not the statutorily required ballot images required for manual recounts of electronic voting machines.”

Her election contest also revealed documents showing the Texas Secretary of State office approving waivers from following sections of the Texas Election Code for counties using Countywide polling places (cough cough—FORT BEND used Countywide polling places), including waiving the printing of a complete results tape (see #6) “which provides information on how many votes have been cast”.

The reason cited in paragraph 2 was printing the tape takes too long.

“Each zero tape and each results tape will consist of all the candidates and measures for each Election Day precinct within the county and each tape can take several hours to print.”

Does any evidence exist that an eSlate voting machine has the ability to print a paper record of your vote that doesn’t take several hours to print? Why yes there is!

Scroll to the 2:15 minute mark of THIS training video from San Mateo County:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ31vpWSWAw

“Pressing CAST BALLOT will prompt the printer to display a record of the actual choices you have voted in each contest. Carefully compare your selections on the Verification Page with the PRINTED record displayed.”

Printing a paper record of your vote would not take too long if this eSlate voting machine was certified for use in the State of Texas.

And it’s not a partisan “liberal agenda” item for Texans to demand confirmation that computers are accurately recording the voter’s intentions.

That’s what Dr. Laura Pressley’s case is all about.

From the Inbox: Election Contest Appeal Moves Forward and State Senator Speaks Out

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Thanks to our dedicated supporters, we have successfully
filed our final brief with the Third Court of Appeals

Lady Justice

Computerized voting machines have been operating for over a decade and Texans don’t trust them–and now we know why.  Dr. Laura Pressley’s historic election contest has uncovered electronic voting machine corruption errors, security breaches, missing back up tapes and no ballot images exist for a legal recount.

Candidates all over Texas have known about these illegalities for over a decade and Pressley is the first to take the responsibility to address them in the Texas courts.

Pressley’s critical appeal and final legal brief was recently filed with the Third Court of Appeals in Travis County.  Completion of Pressley’s brief is a result of the support of so many that have spread the word, have contributed and enabled this case to move forward.  Thank you to everyone!

Breaking News for 2016 Primaries:  Similar Illegalities and serious election irregularities, that occurred in Pressley’s election, recently recurred in Texas counties during the 2016 Primaries.

texas ballots

  • Hart InterCivic electronic voting machines, used in over 100 counties in Texas, do not store ballot images as required by law for recounts,
  • Poll Watchers witnessed more corruption errors on main tabulation computers on election night,
  • Texas Secretary of State’s Election Division issued waivers for counties to not print backup/results tapes for Early Voting and Election Day before equipment left the polling places,
  • Secretary of State’s Election Division issued waivers to all 254 Texas counties to not audit paper ballot results,
  • Poll watchers were obstructed from monitoring main tabulation computers on Election Day,
  • A county refused to post precinct results and attempted to charge a fee for official precinct level Early and Election Day voting results as required by law, and
  • Votes were flipped on computer screens

State Senator Questions Election Integrity

Senator Bob Hall

Austin Press Release–“Texas election laws are not being followed in many counties. Without this consistency, and with the ‘it’s the way we do it’ attitude, this has greatly opened the door to fraud.”

“Because current Texas election practices and procedures are inconsistent, it is not possible to truthfully validate any election result or conduct a legally sufficient ballot recount in the Texas counties where ‘electronic’ voting, without a paper trail, is being allowed.”

“…Secretary of State’s office should cease issuing waivers that instruct county election officials to operate elections unlawfully and in an inconsistent manner across the state.”

Copyright © 2016, Laura Pressley Election Legal Fund All Rights Reserved.
Political advertisement paid for by Laura Pressley Election Legal Fund, 10203 Woodglen Cove, Austin, Texas, 78753, Fidel Acevedo, Treasurer. 
This campaign has not agreed to comply with the contribution and expenditure limits of the Austin Fair Campaign Chapter.

* Reprinted with the permission of Dr. Laura Pressley.