Kingston Branch Loves NY Lever Machines!

Image by harold.lloyd (regicidal) via Flickr

Thank you, Kingston AAUW Branch, for your support on saving NY's lever machines, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Resolution Passed
The Ulster County Legislature passed the resolution on Wednesday, sooner than we thought. We haven't heard yet what happened in Columbia County. Greene County will vote next Tuesday.

Of course, it's not over yet. The NY State legislature must act. But, every county that passes the resolution increases the pressure for the state to reverse ERMA -- the NYS Election Reform and Modernization Act of 2005. And every person who who contacts their state legislator helps build momentum, too.

Results of the Branch Poll
The result of our branch poll: 90.5% in favor of advocating to keep our levers, 4.8% opposed, and 4.8% no opinion. With your support, then, the Kingston Branch will continue to work to keep our lever machines.

Polling for Your Opinion: Lever Voting Machines

Should the Branch advocate to keep our lever machines?

To the Branch Membership:
On Tuesday the Public Policy Committee proposed that the branch advocate for the Ulster County Legislature to pass a resolution, similar to the one passed in Dutchess County last month, to request that the NY State Legislature and Board of Elections "enact laws, rules, and regulations that specifically authorize the continued use of lever-style voting machines."

The Board members present unanimously support the resolution, but because at least one branch member has expressed disagreement, they decided that we should poll the membership. You'll find a poll at the bottom of this post.

What's the rush? We understand that the resolution has passed the committee and will be on the floor for a vote soon, but we don't have a date.

What does advocating for passage of this resolution mean? It means sending an email to our full mailing list asking them to show support by sending a message to legislative leaders(see below); issuing a press release; writing a letter(s) to the editor, and other steps to make the branch position known.

The Pros and Cons
You'll find reference links below supporting each position.

Pros: The Public Policy Committee has invested a substantial amount of time investigating this issue. We sponsored a viewing of HBO's Hacking Democracy and a presentation by Andi Novick in December, have discussed it at two meetings, and done a significant amount of reading on the subject. We have concluded that

• Optical scan and touch screen voting machines can be hacked; to date, no electronic voting system has been able to meet the NY State standards for certification. In fact, testing for certification was suspended in October 2008 because the company contracted to test equipment, SysTest Labs, lost it's Federal certification as a testing lab.

• The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) does not mandate a statewide switch to electronic voting. NY filed a HAVA plan, accepted by the Federal Court, and implemented it. NYS has met the HAVA requirements.

• NY's constitution requires that voters be able to see how votes are counted -- paper ballots and lever machines are the only systems that meet these criteria.
  

• Costs - this is no time to spend millions of our tax dollars implementing a flawed electronic system when the current system works better. This is a budget cut we can all get behind.

Pro Resource Material:

ReMedia Election Transparency Coalition - Andi Novick's blog
http://re-mediaetc.blogspot.com/
Save NY's Lever Voting Machines - a collection of resources pulled together by Ruth Wahtera http://lever-voting-machines.blogspot.com/

Cons prepared by Rokki Carr:
I've been following the issue pretty closely over the last two years, but it seems appropriate to just set forth the position of "mainstream reformers." Andy Novick is a "fringe" reformer. I have read one of her legal petitions and did not find her arguments persuasive as a matter of law. My recollection is that she "advertised" for amicus support and did not get any. Retaining the levers is not an option under HAVA, and that in order to be compliant (a federal judge now has jurisdiction over the NY situation), anything secure and unhackable with a paper trail should do.

Con Resource Material:

Read the LWV/NYVV statement here:
http://www.nyvv.org/newdoc/2009/LWVNYVV_LeverStatement020909.pdf

Read an analysis of HAVA requirements to replace lever machines:
http://www.nyvv.org/newdoc/2009/LeverMachinesAndHAVA020909.pdf

Voting
The poll is open until Friday, Feb. 13. This is not a "certified voting machine" so we count on your integrity. You must be a member, and please vote only once. And, please share your thoughts by clicking on 'comments' below.

Important Reading for All AAUW Members on proposed by-law changes

Letter from New York State President to all members:

I have received an e-mail from Deb Roney, the Pennsylvania AAUW Co-President. It is her intention that the link below (to be copied and pasted into your internet browser window) should be shared with AAUW members across the country. It contains a chart outlining critical issues in the proposed bylaws changes to be voted on in June 2009 at the Association convention. I encourage you to review the chart because it is informative and another method of creating dialogue about this upcoming change. Like us, the Pennsylvania state board has not taken a formal position on the bylaws changes, but wants to supply materials which enable members to have the most controversial proposed changes accessible and succinctly presented.

Please copy and paste the address below which will give you the link to see the Pennsylvania Rationale Chart:

www.aauwpa.org/survey2009/Pros_Cons.pdf

Per my earlier e-mails you should know also that the entire proposed bylaws information is on the Association website in the member center. A link is on the left side of the front page at www.aauw.org and your membership number will take you into the member center to review that material and format.

Special thanks to the Pennsylvania leadership for sharing their skills and enriching our work with this chart.

Eileen

Eileen S. Hartmann
AAUW NYS President
585.924.876
eshartmann5@gmail.com

Save NY State's Lever System

The Kingston AAUW Public Policy Committee is working along with many others in NY State to keep our lever voting machines. NY is the only state that's withstood the push for electronic voting.

Dutchess County's legislature passed a resolution to keep levers in December. Columbia County will be voting on a resolution this week. It's time for Ulster County to act.

We've set up a Citizen Speak message -- it's like a local Two Minute Activist -- for people to let Ulster County Legislature's Chairman Donaldson and County Executive Hein know that we expect them to take action.

There's more info on the Unofficial Passions blog about why levers are better and links to sites with even more. We want to get the word out beyond the branch.

Here's the link to send your message.

Get your friends to send a message, too.

Book Club Updates

From Marjorie Regan:

Feb. 17,2009, The Known World by E. P. Jones. Before the Civil War, a black slave buys his freedom and then buys black men to work for him.

March 17, 2009, The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. This heroine in early 20^th century New York has no fortune and is unable to find her place in the upper .level of society. Fictional depiction of the rigid class system of the time.

Change: April 21^st, 2009 Vivi Hlvasa’s Community Wide Selection : Stories by Andrea Lee

Leaders from the Past

From Bernie Carpino, Historian:

While reminiscing about AAUW, women often mention other members with whom they worked. Some names came up repeatedly. I’d like to acknowledge a few of them who were still active when I joined in the 70’s.

Frieda Dingeel (President 1945-46) participated in many community organizations. A tireless worker, she became the first woman principal in the Kingston Consolidated School System and designed and supervised the district’s original remedial reading program. June picnics at her camp in Lake Katrine were often mentioned.

Betty LeFever (President 1946-48) was an active member until her death. Dedicated to education, she was instrumental in the establishment of Ulster County Community College. Because of her involvement, AAUW had a study group, which made recommendations.

Helen Ann Robbins (President 1957-59) used her connections to national AAUW to help the local College Women’s Club make the transition to the Association. Many remember her for her scholarly strong opinions and for Book Club Meetings at the Robbins Library.

Adelaide Van Wagenen, although never president of AAUW, was a vital part of the organization. Always quick to volunteer, her enthusiasm was contagious. As membership chair, she enrolled most of the faculty at Chambers School as branch members. Adelaide currently lives in an assisted living facility in Florida.

These are just four women among many who are part of Kingston AAUW’s history. We remember them fondly.

Women in Technology Still at a Disadvantage

Fast Company published their 2nd annual list of influential women in technology and they're a pretty impressive group. But, read their introductory comments to appreciate that in this field, too, there's more to be done. The emphasis is mine.

The Most Influential Women in Technology | Fast Company: "While [last year] some comments focused on the accomplishments of the women chosen, or suggested others we might have named, many were graphic, sexist, and nasty. Two dozen of the posters were eventually thrown off of Digg by the site's administrators.

It wasn't exactly the conversation about women in technology we'd hoped for. But it wasn't just a flamefest, either. Among the arguments put forward was that a women-only list was in itself sexist. We certainly wish the need for such a list had long passed, but women in tech remain at a distinct disadvantage by any metric: average salary, top-management representation, board memberships. Silicon Valley, in particular, remains largely a boys' club. "

I hope younger women read these articles, not to feel victimized, but rather to understand that there's still work to be done.

And, congratulations to all those women who made the list. You certainly deserve recognition for your achievements which range from running companies like Oracle and Yahoo to pure research, from blogging and gaming to using technology to change the world.

One Wrong is Righted - President Signs Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

BRAVO! Whoopee! Hooooorayyyyy!

While there are many injustices in the world, I have to say that the Supreme Court ruling on Ledbetter vs. Goodyear and the Senate's foot-dragging on correcting that bizarre ruling has been on the top of my list. It made the top of my list because it was so ridiculous and so easy to correct. But the Big Boys closed ranks and circled the wagons.

Well, now it's done. A year late, but President Obama signed the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act into law today. It was the first bill he signed into law. Thank you, Mr. President.

And, thank you, everyone who sponsored the bill, voted for it, sent letters of support, and lobbied to keep it on the front burner in Congress.

Now, where is the Paycheck Fairness Actl that passed the House? Let's make sure it gets through the Senate this year. They're being awfully quiet about it these days.

Update: The status of S. 182 is now in the sidebar so we can follow its progress.

Want to watch the video of the signing celebration? Here's the link. Click on the red circle with the 'f' in it.

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• Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act Passes Senate (dailykos.com)

Get Fresh, newbranch AAUW tv show, in tune

White House Farmer » Who Will It Be?

Dear Kingston Branch members and friends,

Last night, despite some technical difficulties in the Woodstock tv studio, Janine Fallon-Mower and I were once again holding AAUW Conversations.

Our winter-spring theme and title of our series is GET FRESH, buy locally and buy seasonally.

In our research, I read Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracles, how one family with two daughters, two full-time working parents, managed to live graciously and abundantly from local produce and their garden. Then, Janine searched her own family history and found a 1950's Woodstock Recipe Booklet, full of delightful home-made possibilities. She also recalled Mower's Market on Tinker Street whose produce was supplied by the family garden, now Mower's Flea Market, less than 50 yards from the store. Now that's local.

We are delighted to have found so many people in our county working on the theme of practical, local and cost effective healthy food. Check out www.EatLocalFood.org. From this website, I gleaned the following quick start tips.

1. Check labels for origins. Janine found she bought garlic from China. Garlic grows well here. So start with buying items easily grown within 100 miles and save transportation and oil costs.

2. Start with two or three items, not switching all items at once. Do what is manageable bit by bit considering how busy we all are.

3. Get the whole family involved. While it's winter, dream over garden catalogs, consider planting edible as well as ornamental plants to cut down food and gas costs.

4. Look into community garden buyer's club, called community supported agriculture (csa). We have NINE in our Hudson River Valley area. If you already belong, tell others.

5. Buy a share in an apple tree at our local orchards. You get to help the grower grow with your share and later eat local apples.

And, #6. Vote for Carrie Little as White House Farmer. I know Carrie's daughter, Mary Letterman, an active AAUW member on Facebook. She sent this story about her mother asking all Facebook AAUW members to support Carrie with our votes:

Correction: Mary points out in the comments that this is her friend's mother. That doesn't change how impressed we are with Carrie!

"Hey everybody, the White House and Barack Obama, our new president, is looking to turn the White House more "green" and turn the White House lawns into organic gardens. My mom has been nominated for this position along with only 18 others in our country. So get on this website starting January 21, 2009 and vote! The top 3 candidates will be submitted to our Prez and then he will choose.

And if you want to, vote for my MOM, Carrie Little, because she would be the best for the job!"

So, please read Carrie's profile -- you'll be overwhelmed by her imagination and what she's accomplished in Washington State with organic gardening providing local food for emergency food pantries, engaging hundreds of children, volunteers, prisoners and families. You'll be convinced that she should be the first White House Farmer. Visit the White House Farmer for more information on this movement and to vote.

The women behind the Montgomery Bus Boycott & Dr. King

Image via WikipediaWhen I was young, my mother told me that I would be wise to become some corporate president's executive secretary. "There's always a very smart woman behind a successful man. Many secretaries really run the company."

Instead, I like to think that I've been part of changing things -- that women can be out front more often (but not often enough) these days. But her advice came to mind when I read this article about the ten nonprofits that shaped and supported Dr. King. When I got to #3, reproduced below, I thought, aha! of course!

It takes leaders, up-front and leaders behind the scenes to bring about great change. Here's to the women who made the Montgomery bus boycott possible.

Did You Know...? Ten Nonprofits that Shaped the Life of Martin Luther King Jr. | Blue Avocado: "Which nonprofit was the first to launch the Montgomery bus boycott that ultimately brought Dr. King to prominence?

Women’s Political Council

African American women in Montgomery, Alabama, formed the Women’s Political Council in the mid-1940s. They tried to end bus segregation through advocacy with the local mayor. When that didn’t work, they laid plans for a bus boycott. After Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat, it was the council that sent out the call for action. Later, much of the boycott organizing was taken over by the Montgomery Improvement Association."

Jan Masoka, who publishes Blue Avocado, shared this background information in her latest newsletter.

Textbooks make it seem as if Rosa Parks just one day decided not to sit at the back of the bus. In fact, of course, many other African American women and men had done just that over the years, only to be thrown off the bus. But when Rosa Parks refused to leave her seat in the front of the bus, she did so having been selected by local nonprofits to spark the carefully-planned boycott of the segregated bus company. Heroes don't act alone: nonprofits support heroes, and heroes understand nonprofits to be platforms for impact, and all are parts of evolving social movements.