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In This Section:

Suicide Bomber Kills 16 in Western Afghanistan
Eminent Scientists Confirm Effectiveness of Existing Warhead Maintenance Program:
Harry Reid, and What Happened to the Public Option
Beyond Copenhagen
Liberal Democrat Calls For Geithner's Resignation
White House Rebuke: Angry Dems Shut Down Vote
A Dream Match: Nader v. Dodd
Why the Senate Abortion "Compromise" is Disastrous for Women and Single-payer Healthcare
Joe Hill: The Man Who Didn't Die
Senate Health Plan Seeks to Add Coverage to 31 Million
Is House Health Care Bill a Threat to Our Constitution?
A Recipe for More Lost Jobs at Home: Obama's China Junket
Massachusetts Physicians Say Reform in Their State Is No Model for the Nation
Who Are You and What Have You Done With the Community Organizer We Elected President?
ABC News: CIA Secret 'Torture' Prison Found at Fancy Horseback Riding Academy

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You Never Know…

By Cathy O'Gara
March 28, 2008, Largo, FL

My husband, Jim, let me know two people were coming over to watch a movie, UNCOUNTED: The New Math of American Elections. I debated about asking him if I had to be there, then I decided to be supportive and watch the movie, too. Jim told me it was a film about the election process.

I was stunned by the events outlined in UNCOUNTED. When people (mainly Democrats) said there had been a problem in the last few elections, I attributed it to sour grapes. WRONG!

In the two weeks that followed our initial viewing, we scheduled four additional showings at our home. A total of 40 people--friends and people from the community--attended.

At the last showing there were 25 people (Republicans, Democrats and Independents) in our living room. We laid down ground rules, which said that this would not be a forum for debate; rather, we were coming together as Americans. We were coming together to safeguard something we all hold dear--our right to vote and have our votes counted accurately. UNCOUNTED was well received by members of both parties. People, who at the beginning said they thought the facts were slanted, were outraged by the end.

The results so far are:

1. We've started a One Hundred Letters campaign. These are letters written to those who call themselves public servants.
2. The mayor of Largo, Florida, viewed the film at my request. She pledged to talk to people in the legislature. She also gave me permission to use her name and recommended that I call Representative Janet Long.
3. In the state of Florida, we've gone to optical scanners. The machine counts the vote at the end of the day. We are asking for a procedure to be put in place whereby there will be an automatic random audit of 10% of the precincts on Election Day. The audit should be by multi-partisan hand count. Go to www.JackKillingsworth.com for data on the need for the minimum of 10 % precinct audits.
4. Beth, a law student who saw the film, has arranged for UNCOUNTED to be taken to Washington this week. Her friend, a fellow law student, is personal friends with Chris Matthews, the host of Hardball. He will sit with him to see the movie this week.
   

Keep showing the film. Invite everyone you know. Ask them to do the same. You never know… 

EDITOR'S NOTE: As part of the work of the PDA Clean, Fair, and Transparent Elections issue organizing team, the filmmaker David Earnhardt and producers Glenna Johnson and Mac Pirkle joined us for our last conference call. We're working with them to promote it through house parties. Contact Vin@pdamerica.org to set up a house party.

Be sure to get your copy of UNCOUNTED here--PDA earns a small stipend from the sale of each movie.

Click here for scheduled screenings. See the trailer.