Rep. Lemmons offered the following resolution:
House Resolution No. 279.
A resolution to memorialize the United States Congress to enact legislation to prohibit paperless ballots.
Whereas, Electronic voting machines have been widely used in polling places across the country in response to the Florida hanging-chad debacle in 2000. During the 2008 presidential primaries, it is estimated that about one third of all votes will be cast on touch-screen electronic voting machines. Questions have been raised about the security, reliability, and accessibility of these machines. Electronic voting machines are not auditable unless they allow for a voter-verified paper audit trail; and
Whereas, All computerized voting systems carry risks. Complex software programs are prone to malfunctions and crashes. It is estimated that about ten percent of electronic voting machines "fail" unpredictably in each election, sometimes resulting in unreliable, ambiguous results. The biggest casualty of flawed elections is public trust in the system; and
Whereas, Voting and the political process are the lifeblood of our national democracy. The voting system should be accurate, reliable, secure, and capable of being audited. It should instill public confidence that votes are counted as intended. While it is impossible to secure electronic voting machines against all possible risks, it is essential that paper back-up systems be in place where electronic voting machines are used. Voter-verified paper ballots should be the final authority in cases of recounts, challenges, random manual audits, equipment malfunctions, and suspect polling places; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the United States Congress to enact legislation to prohibit paperless ballots; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and members of the Michigan congressional delegation.