Verified Voting:
Iowa's Ed Fallon Amendment

Dear Iowa Voting Activists:

Good News–

Thanks in part to our work, Iowa has taken a key step toward protecting us from unauditable voting.  State Representative Ed Fallon of Des Moines got his amendment attached to the HAVA legislation that was signed into law earlier this month.  The new law requires that electronic voting machines “store each ballot cast separate from the ballot tabulation function, which ballot may be reproduced on paper in the case of a recount, manual audit, or machine malfunction.”

To be sure, we are not guaranteed the voter-inspected paper trail we want.  But University of Iowa voting machine expert Doug Jones says it is “an improvement.”  He says much will now depend on the administrative rules that are written to flesh out the legislation.  I will look for a way for us to influence those rules and get back to you.

What to do–

1.  Thank Ed Fallon, if you have not already done so.  Ed Fallon can be emailed at Ed.Fallon@legis.state.ia.us

2.  Thank Rep Elizabeth Jacobs, Des Moines Republican, who was floor manager of the HAVA bill and blocked all amendments except Fallon's amendment.  E-mail her at libby.Jacobs@legis.state.ia.us   Tell her we still want a VOTER-VERIFIED paper trail next session.