MD Business Leaders Urge the AG to Act on Voting Rights

August 2004
Honorable J. Joseph Curran, Jr.
Office of the Attorney General
200 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202

Dear Attorney General Curran:

As Maryland business leaders we write to request your immediate attention to secure voting rights for Maryland’s citizens with a voter verified paper trail in time for the November 2004 election.

Major newspapers across the country including the Washington Post, Washington Times and the New York Times, along with reputable computer scientists have warned election officials that secure elections, accurate vote counts, and meaningful recounts are not possible with the current Diebold touch screen voting machines in use across Maryland.  Security, accuracy, meaningful recounts -- and voter confidence in the legitimacy of democratic governance -- are achievable, but only with voter-verified paper audit trails.  

The New York Times editorial of May 18, 2004, states that Maryland voters are at risk without voter-verified paper ballots: "Some states, like Georgia and Maryland, have made the mistake of buying all their machines from one manufacturer, leaving them with little leverage in the case of bad performance.... In an age when consumers expect to be offered a receipt every time they use an A.T.M. or buy gasoline, it is hard to believe that there is opposition to paper records for electronic voting. But the opposition has been strong… As many computer scientists have explained, voters cannot trust electronic machines that do not produce voter-verifiable records." 

As you may know, Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities was formed in 1996 because American business people believe that the federal government’s spending priorities are undermining our national security. (www.sensiblepriorities.org) Advised by retired admirals and military leaders, we aim to move 15% of the defense budget to provide real security: renewable energy, education, healthcare and other state and local priorities.    

Our online affiliate, TrueMajority, has pioneered technological innovations that have deepened the relationship we have with our 500,000 members (10,000 in Maryland, alone). TrueMajority’s “Computer Ate My Vote” campaign is assisting local voting rights activists from across the country to ensure voters receive a receipt, similar to an ATM, which allows each citizen to verify their vote. Our work has galvanized national and local voting rights groups across the country.   

We urge you to provide a voter verified, paper audit on November 2, 2004 to ensure the integrity of each citizen’s vote.  We also request that the State Board of Elections create the option of mail- in paper balloting for two weeks preceding every election to ensure that busy citizen’s have the opportunity to vote by mail in Maryland.    

Sincerely,   

Ted Rouse, Co-Chair                                      Rick Torgerson, Co-Chair
Maryland Chapter                                             Maryland Chapter
Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities
PO Box 16396
Baltimore, MD 21210
(410) 254-6069
www.sensiblepriorities.com

cc: Honorable Robert Ehrlich, Governor of Maryland

     Honorable Elijah Cummings, Congress of the United States,
     Chair Congressional Black Caucus