NJ Post Election Audit Signed Into Law...But Corzine's Signing Statement Questions Sampling Method

Wilms

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Wed Jan-16-08 02:54 AM
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NJ Post Election Audit Signed Into Law...But Corzine's Signing Statement Questions Sampling Method

GOVERNOR CORZINE TAKES ACTION ON LEGISLATION

By Governors Press... - January 15, 2008 - 12:13pm

Release Date: January 15, 2008

TRENTON - Governor Jon S. Corzine signed the following bills into law on Sunday, January 13, with related statements:

snip

S-507/A-2730 w/Statement (Gill/Gusciora) � Requires mandatory audit of election results in randomly selected election districts.

�Today, I am signing into law this measure because it furthers the public confidence in the accuracy and conduct of our election process. There is no more important element in our democratic system than the integrity of our elections, and I wholeheartedly support the establishment of an audit team to review the accuracy and conduct of elections in the state. This law contains many critical elements, including (a) that the audit team include independent individuals and professionals capable of ensuring an appropriate statistical approach, (b) that the audits cover federal and statewide elections as well as a selected number of county and municipal elections, and (c) that the audits not prevent or compromise the ability of candidates or other applicant from requesting a recount.

�While I firmly believe that this measure is intended to and will further the integrity of our election system, I do have a number of concerns which I will work with the legislative leadership and sponsors to address, and which would have led me to conditionally veto the bill had it been presented to me in other circumstances. Most significantly, I believe it is important to review the most appropriate method of sampling and selection of election districts to best realize the purposes of election auditing. While cost is not a determinative factor here, it is important that we expend our resources in those races where there is the greatest need to review the integrity of the electoral process. To this end, it will be important to assess whether the approach undertaken by this measure requires sampling at a level that exceeds what is necessary to provide confidence in the electoral result.

Finally, it appears that further refinement may be appropriate to ensure that the audit process can be completed in a timely fashion and not cause problems related to the certification of election results. �In raising these concerns, I note that no other state has provided an independent audit team with the level of responsibilities and expectations set forth in this legislation. Given that New Jersey will be the first to do so, it is particularly appropriate that we commit to reexamining the approach taken in this legislation, and I will work with the Legislature to do so after we have had an opportunity to learn from the experience of the audit team in at least one statewide primary and general election.

In this regard, I also observe that in light of my recent signing of Senate Bill No. 2949 (First Reprint) the deadline for the State to provide voting machines that shall produce an individual permanent paper record for each vote cast has been extended until June 3, 2008, and thus the application of this measure is unlikely to be possible at least until that date.

�Again, I applaud the sponsors and the Legislature for their commitment to ensuring public confidence in the integrity of the electoral process and look forward to working with them to ensure that New Jersey is a leader in this area.�

http://www.politickernj.com/governor-corzine-takes-action-legislation-15438

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EFerrari

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Wed Jan-16-08 02:59 AM
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1. Can't let an audit interfere with our election result theater, can we?

That's a great banner, btw.

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