This petition asks the New Jersey Attorney General to advocate for the right to vote for all citizens by certifying only those voting machines that meet the highest national standards of accuracy and handicap accessibility. Further, the signatories ask the Attorney General to certify only those voting systems that provide certainty as to the accuracy and security of the vote by immediately meeting the state requirement for a voter verified auditable paper record, and by demanding independent audit capability.


BACKGROUND

New Jersey is replacing voting machines in conjunction with the Help America Vote Act of 2002.

HAVA requires that private, independent voting be accessible to all, regardless of physical disability or language limitation. Today's voting machines must meet new standards of accessibility, with audio devices and adjustable displays for the visually impaired, as well as height requirements for wheelchair-bound voters. They also must meet the latest error rate standards.

In addition to HAVA features, NJ law requires that all machines be outfitted with a voter-verified auditable paper record by 2008. While the machines purchased need not provide a paper record today, it will be required soon. This retrofit should be readily available as soon as possible and at a reasonable cost to taxpayers.

As stewards of the election process and of taxpayer dollars, the Attorney General's office must ensure that all voters are able to use a federally certified voting system that meets all the Americans with Disabilities Association compliance criteria, as well as the highest standards of federal certification available. To do otherwise disenfranchises groups of voters and risk the possibility of costly, disruptive, and easily avoided lawsuits. It is irresponsible to spend taxpayer dollars on antiquated equipment that will be unduly expensive to bring up to date by 2008, if such upgrade is even possible.

Many counties have not replaced voting machines for 30 years. It could be 30 more before we again have the chance to remedy the problems of todays voting machines. The time to ensure full voter access and complete voter confidence is now.


OUR DEMANDS

New Jersey citizens demand a voting system that:

1. employs modern voting technology, not antiquated processors that can't be upgraded;

2. is certified to all of the highest possible federal standards;

3. employs all possible accessibility features to ensure privacy and ease of use by the disabled;

4. can easily and inexpensively be updated (or already possess the capacity) to provide a voter verified auditable paper record, as required by NJ law;

5. is manufactured by a company with an unblemished record of integrity; and

6. produces results that can be independently verified through the use of random, mandatory audits.