[VotoEletronico] * Citizens Lobby Congress for Reliable Electronic Voting

[Alejandro Carriles]

* Citizens Lobby Congress for Reliable Electronic Voting Hundreds Join EFF and Other Groups to Fight for Election Integrity San Francisco - Hundreds of citizen lobbyists from across the nation went to Washington, DC, on April 6-7, working to help secure the future of safe, reliable electronic voting through the passage of HR 550 -- the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act.  HR 550 would ensure a voter- verified paper record of every vote, establish mandatory random hand-counted audits, and prohibit the use of secret software and wireless communications in voting machines. The "Lobby Days" were organized by the HR 550 "I Count" Coalition, which includes the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Common Cause, Verified Voting, Voters Unite, VoteTrustUSA, and Working Assets.  The coalition held a lobbying training session for activists before going to work on Thursday. "HR 550 represents the best opportunity to solve a number of problems related to the use of electronic voting equipment," said EFF Staff Attorney Matt Zimmerman.  "By participating in this event, voters get a chance to make their voices heard in Congress and demand transparency and accountability in elections." HR 550 has made significant progress in the House of Representatives, largely through the grassroots efforts of voting activists.  Lobby Days help continue the momentum and show members of Congress that many of their constituents are passionate about voting integrity. HR 550 "I Count" Coalition: <http://www.icountcoalition.org> EFF's Lobby Days Blog: <http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/cat_evoting_lobby_days.php> For this release: <http://www.eff.org/news/archives/2006_04.php#004520>