So who makes an ATM with a paper receipt but forgets that function when building voting machines?  It makes sense that I would want a receipt of my deposit/ withdrawals, but I would trust my vote wasn't tampered with? 

Anyway, audit trails are a good idea even when you trust people.  Yet we wont have that unless we do something.  I recommend calling your congressman to help get this BILL BACK ON THE FLOOR!

This bill provides funding to ensure an audit trail exists and can be executed and paid for.  Although a house majority voted yes, it was defeated 4/15/8.

Why?  Well, there was no opposition, so it was put on the calendar on suspended rules and expected to pass with a 2/3 vote, which is required if rules are suspended.  Well, W waited in the weeds, and when it was on the calendar, he issues "a concern" on the bill, citing overinflated numbers that $650 million would be the tab, even though we spent more than that in Iraq just today, before lunch.

I talked to the sponsor's, Rush Holt, office and they told me that its "not officially" dead.   This needs help or it will never get passed, and its probably too late for any other legislation to make it through before November

After this gets to the floor you will need to pressure your state/ district to opt in, but with free money, its great pressure to make them justify why not. 

And speaking of justification, there are a lot of published reports as to the why, RFK Jr. in Rolling Stone post-2004, uncounted the Movie, anything written by Greg Palast or his speeches on YouTube, Hacking Democracy Youtube/ HBO, Black Box Voting.  2006 was less concerning than 2004, mainly because the voices were loud enough to catch the medias attention.  Not now, and  as before, without controls or scrutiny, we got issues.  We  safeguard our money,  lets help protect our democratic rights.  Whether we believe thieves exist or not, we lock the door, why not do the same for your vote?

Summary of the Bill:
H.R.5036
Title: To direct the Administrator of General Services to reimburse certain jurisdictions for the costs of obtaining paper ballot voting systems for the general elections for Federal office to be held in November 2008, to reimburse jurisdictions for the costs incurred in conducting audits or hand counting of the results of the general elections for Federal office to be held in November 2008, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] (introduced 1/17/2008)      Cosponsors (92)
Latest Major Action: 4/15/2008 Failed of passage/not agreed to in House. Status: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 239 - 178 (Roll no. 188).
House Reports: 110-582 Part 1MAJOR ACTIONS: 1/17/2008 Introduced in House 4/14/2008 Reported (Amended) by the Committee on House Administration. H. Rept. 110-582, Part I. 4/14/2008 Committee on Science and Technology discharged. 4/15/2008 Failed of passage/not agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 239 - 178 (Roll no. 188).