From our friends at VoteSafeTN.org:

Immediate Request for Action 1/6/08

If you want to support our efforts to make our elections more secure and verifiable before November '08, please call and email the legislators who will be meeting on January 10 to make a decision about the Voter Confidence Act.

EMAIL or call members of the Joint Legislative Committee on Voter Confidence before their next meeting on Thursday, January 10.

The legislators commented on the hundreds of emails and phone calls they received before the last meeting! This had a big impact in moving our issue forward. They need to hear from you again -- or for the first time.

Sample letter and contact info at VoteSafeTN.org.

Thank them for their continuing work on this critical issue. Tell them you support voter-verified paper ballots and mandatory random audits for the November '08 election.

Ask them to support SB 1363/HB 1256 as amended to help us achieve greater election security now.

The idea behind the legislation, also from VoteSafeTN.org, is as follows:

Abstract: Election Laws - Requires any voting system purchased after the effective date of this act to provide the ballot of record be a paper ballot marked by the voter with appropriate accommodation for persons with disabilities; requires such ballot to be available to voter to verify the vote; requires that secrecy of the voter's choice be maintained. - Amends TCA Title 2.

Notes: “Our” bill, re-introduced as caption bill identical to last year.
Follow closely; now in study committee for full examination; we will assist with amending it as we did last year to create a comprehensive plan for secure voting equipment.

Some other thoughts: TN is one of only fourteen states without verifiable ballot legislation. You get a receipt when you spend $4.59 at Wendy's on your Extra Value Meal...why should your vote be less important? With the recent theft of laptops containing all the voter ID from the Election Commission of the most reliably Democratic-leaning county in the state, why should we have all that much confidence in any other election-related safety issues?