Keep counting on it

Two quick updates on voting irregularities.

- The number of House of Representatives members who have signed a letter to the GAO calling for an investigation is now up to 13. They are:

John Conyers (D-MI), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Robert Scott (D-GA), Melvin Watt (D-NC), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), George Miller (D-CA), John Olver (D-MA), Bob Filner (D-CA), Gregory Meeks (D-NY), and Barbara Lee (D-CA).

In addition, Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), has added his name but it hasn't yet been formally submitted to the GAO. If your Rep isn't on that list, ask them why not.

- The League of Women Voters has declared that voting problems "should be fully investigated and resolved." League President Kay Maxwell said in a press release last Friday that

The League of Women Voters is deeply concerned about voting irregularities in the 2004 election. The appropriate officials must fully investigate these concerns through open and public processes. Election officials should look into problems quickly and thoroughly and fix what proves to be wrong. Transparency and a willingness to look into potential problems will strengthen voter confidence and ultimately improve our electoral system.

It is important to ensure that every properly cast ballot is counted and to make improvements for future elections. Attention must be given to inadequate polling place procedures, problematic voting machines, voter registration system failures, casting and counting of provisional ballots, and absentee voting issues.

The statement also called on anyone who submitted a provisional ballot to exercise their rights under the Help America Vote Act to find out if their ballot was counted and if not, why not.

One other thing: Maureen Farrell has a good column on Buzzflash about the media response to the questions being raised.