Our Mission…
Welcome to the Institute for American Democracy and Election Integrity!
The Mission of the Institute
The mission of The Institute for American Democracy and Election Integrity is to support American Democracy by increasing voter trust and voter participation in American Elections. It is clear to many that using paper ballots, as opposed to electronic voting machines, has already contributed to voter trust and participation in elections. Another contribution is to introduce an independent election verification system into the paper ballot counting process. The system that the Institute is currently promoting can also be introduced extremely economically. Details on how this can be introduced economically are discussed later.
Enhancing Voter Trust and Voter Participation
An independent election verification system enhances voter trust and contributes to belief in American Democracy in several ways. One of the ways is simply that the votes are counted twice. Secondly, the votes are counted in such a way that the ballots are able to be viewed by all. Transparency always contributes to trust no matter what human endeavor. An independent election verification system that is also open source is not corporate controlled.
The introduction of the election verification system that the Institute is currently choosing to support, the Trachtenberg Election Verification System (TEVS), is managed currently by a California nonprofit, registered with the State as Sunrise Center. The Institute is a subdivision of Sunrise Center. Because it is nonprofit there is no way in which the Institute or Sunrise Center can insist that ordinary citizens not view how the ballots are counted by claiming the vote-counting system is proprietary. Such claims in the past by voting machine companies have engendered much voter distrust and also candidate distrust. Integrating a transparent election verification system definitely strengthens belief in American Democracy.
Stimulating a Commitment to Excellence in Vote Counting in Vote-Counting Corporations
We here at the Institute also believe that integrating an independent election verification system can also keep vote-counting corporations more accountable to their claims of accuracy in counting paper ballots. It is worth noting that Hart InterCivic’s vote totals have frequently matched up with the TEVS system totals in Humboldt County since first introduced in 2006 and when used in Yolo County in 2010.This is in contrast to an election that was held in Humboldt County with the voting system used at that time, a version belonging to Diebold. Diebold, now called Premier, is no longer used in Humboldt County,
Supporting Registrars and Secretaries of State that Enhance Trust and Participation in American Democracy
We at the Institute hope that both Registrars and Secretaries of State here in the United State are inspired to encourage belief on the part of American citizens in American Democracy. Unfortunatly, we have not always found that stimulating trust in elections is of prime importance to both local election administrators anad secretaries of state. Thus, it is also our belief here at the Institute that local and state election officials that do support trust and transparency in American Democracy and in American elections need to be celebrated. Hence in 2010, we awarded two Registrars of Voters, Carolyn Crnich from Humboldt County, California and Freddie Oakley from Yolo County, California, together with her main co-worker, Tom Stannionis, with awards for excellence in their support of election integrity and American Democracy. Another set of awards and the publicity that goes with it is planned for December, 2012. Secretaries of State that support the introduction of independent election verification systems will definitely also be acknowledged in the future. At this time, though, it seems that the introduction of an open source, transparent election verification system needs to start first at a county level.
Possible Career Advantages Available for Registrars and Secretaries of State who Choose to Introduce an Independent Election Verification System
There appear to be numerous advantages for Registrars of Voters in supporting voter trust in the electoral process. Carolyn Crnich has been voted several times the most popular elected official in Humboldt County. For elected officials, whether Registrars or Secretaries of State, we believe that introducing an independent election verification system would greatly contribute to their getting re-elected. Carolyn Crnich has also reported that using a independent election verification system has also significantly reduced her costs in managing elections and contributed to her ease in managing them as well. Since integrating the election verification system, requests for recounts on the part of citizens and candidates has dropped dramatically thus contributing to greater economy and ease for her in general in managing her county’s elections. With all the challenges our country is having economically now, it would be wonderful if the TEVS system was introduced to more counties so that county governments everywhere could operate more economically.
