2007 Patriot Award

Don't forget to join the ACLU for our Patriot Award Gala and Annual Meeting on Saturday, October 27, 6 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel in Eureka!

2007 Patriot Award

Whereas, The conduct of fair and free elections which use electoral mechanisms designed to accurately reflect the will of voters form the basis of individual liberty through citizen control of their democratic institutions of governance; and

Whereas, Voting security and election integrity have come under increasing threat nationwide from the use of electronic voting systems which lack adequate safeguards and electoral mechanisms that compromise the ability to share in the exercise of political power; and

Whereas, The Humboldt County Election Advisory Committee was proposed by County Clerk and Recorder Carolyn Crnich and approved by County Supervisors in 2005 with a mission to provide public input and review of local voting systems, electoral mechanisms and conditions under which elections take place in Humboldt County; and

Whereas, Since its formation, the Election Advisory Committee, whose members include Greg Allen, Dave Berman, Kevin Collins, Mark Konkler, Jim Lamport, David Ogden, Jamie Orr and Tom Pinto, worked with Carolyn Crnich, Elections Department staff and concerned community groups to defeat the mass implementation of unverifiable voting machines in local election precincts, a decision which has since proven correct after the mass decertification of unsafe voting equipment in 2007 by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen; and

Whereas, Election Advisory Committee members also advocated successfully for the rights of disabled voters and for an innovative new means of vote verification known as the “Humboldt Transparency Project” where the ballot image of each vote cast is preserved to enable independent citizen recounts of voting results; and

Whereas, Clerk and Recorder Carolyn Crnich has repeatedly demonstrated an open and accountable attitude towards the public and has expressed her willingness to implement alternative voting systems if and when they are adopted by local governments for local elections. Therefore be it

Resolved, The Board of Directors of the Redwood Chapter, American Civil Liberties Union awards the 4^th Annual Patriot Award to Carolyn Crnich and the Election Advisory Committee for their continued commitment and action to protect the constitutional rights and civil liberties of the people of Humboldt County in accordance with the Bill of Rights.

Dated: October 27, 2007

______________________

Christina Allbright, Chair

Redwood Chapter, ACLU