Pinellas Florida Libertarians & Activists

Pinellas Libertarian Host, Libertarian Party of Pinellas County of Florida Chair Michael Gilson speaks out for Election Reform 

Governor Charlie Crist Signs Legislation

Creating a Paper Trail for Florida Votes

May 23, 2007

The two year challenge to establish paper trail ended in victory for the Election Reform Coalition of Pinellas County when Governor Charlie Crist signed House Bill 537 that establishes a paper trail for all votes cast in Florida elections. Having a paper trail was among the top recommendations in the ERC PInellas' 2005 Report. The election-reform legislation will provide optical scan machines for counties that do not already have them for Election Day voting and early voting sites.

Governor Crist said, "When Floridians cast ballots in an election at any level - local, state or federal - they can leave the polling place knowing that their vote has been counted and recorded and can be verified."

This victory is the result of two years hard work by individuals and organizations that worked together to form the non-partisan Election Reform Coalition in Pinellas County Florida.

A special thanks to these key members and activists who helped organize the public forums; Create our Report and Action Plan; Interviewed at major newspapers and radio shows; Promoted the coalition at public events, government meetings; Talked to the Supervisor of Elections; Traveled the state and sent copies of our report to legistlators.

Arlin Briley, Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party, Michael "MG" Gilson, Chair of the Libertarian Party of Pinellas County, Mike Henkel and Mark Kamleiter Co-Chairs of the Green Party of Pinellas County, Bill Bucolo, Ed Helm, Pea Trombley, and Carrie Wadlinger. Other group activists: The Citizen's Vote Verification group with Leonard Schmiege and Gyan Hardman, Pamela Haengel of Voting Integrity Alliance of Tampa Bay (VIA).

Article Originally published at:

http://www.ercpinellas.org/