LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Integrity of our voting process is at stake

To the editor:

Within the context of whether the Russians interfered in our elections, it should be apparent that we need to assure our voting system is not corrupted or hacked. It might not be much, my vote, but I’d like to think it counts. Sometimes, it feels like it doesn’t. Certainly Russia and other countries are interested in our elections but so are a lot of wealthy people, corporations like Monsanto, political parties too. At minimum, they each will find a way to sway our support/vote one way, or another. They all try; as an individual, I do too. There’s a lot of political competition and debate. That part, isn’t so concerning to me. But could we all be duped and controlled by fictitious election results?

Today, we see it too often: hacks and stolen data. It happens. Electronic voting and all computer tabulations are vulnerable to corruption and control. We did it to Iran’s nuclear program, messing it up. Every day, how many hackers are at work, in China, Russia, or the CIA? Computers put voter integrity at risk, or worse. How much would election results sell for, if it was possible?

What can give us more security? Paper ballots and real people counting them, what’s wrong with that? The more real citizens involved, the more secure it becomes. We have a system for obtaining jurors now, ever done that, been selected? Make it a legal, civic duty like that. I’ll even volunteer, many would. Anyone would have an improbable task of affecting the outcome of an election with so many responsible citizens participating. Run the whole voting process with people; and we know who they are. Make election day a holiday, get everyone participating.

Take any side you want, any issue; your vote is vulnerable at best, or stolen for the worse. Please, our legislators need to do something, to put some thought of safety into our voting process and how we vote. I’m asking each of them, in representing us, to assure the integrity of our voting process by enacting the “People and Paper Act.” (I don’t write ‘legal,’ it’s not written yet; any legal, elected volunteer?) I’m hoping many will join in, support the idea. No to Voting Machines! We can’t/shouldn’t trust them.

Dean DeWitt, China resident with Charles Lang Sr. and 12 others.