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Report of Convention 2006 Action

The following motions were passed at the 2006 LWVUS Convention, held June 9-13 in Minneapolis, MN:

Motion to adopt the LWVIL Death Penalty position by concurrence on the Convention floor. The position will read “The LWVUS supports the abolition of the death penalty.”

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Motion to adopt the following resolution related to program requiring a voter-verified paper ballot or paper record with electronic voting systems. 
Whereas:  Some LWVs have had difficulty applying the SARA Resolution (Secure, Accurate, Recountable and Accessible) passed at the last Convention, and
Whereas:  Paperless electronic voting systems are not inherently secure, can malfunction, and do not provide a recountable audit trail,
Therefore be it resolved that:
The position on the Citizens’ Right to Vote be interpreted to affirm that LWVUS supports only voting systems that are designed so that:

1. they employ a voter-verifiable paper ballot or other paper record, said paper being the official record of the voter’s intent; and
2. the voter can verify, either by eye or with the aid of suitable devices for those who have impaired vision, that the paper ballot/record accurately reflects his or her intent; and 
3. such verification takes place while the voter is still in the process of voting; and
4. the paper ballot/record is used for audits and recounts; and
5. the vote totals can be verified by an independent hand count of the paper ballot/record; and
6. routine audits of the paper ballot/record in randomly selected precincts can be conducted in every election, and the results published by the jurisdiction.

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Motion to adopt the following resolution:

1. Elevate the restoration of our System of Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers to a top priority by specifically adding it to our Democracy Agenda for advocacy and education.
2. Denouncing the erosion of our System of Checks and Balances and Separation of Powers and the resulting damage to our constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties, and
3. Call upon Congress to assume its vital role for oversight and as a co-equal branch of government responsive to the citizens its members represent.

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Motion to amend the proposed program by adding:  Resolved that the League of Women Voters of the United States support the concept of Internet neutrality by calling upon Congress to protect equal access to the Internet.

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Motion to adopt a three year study of immigration policies.

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Motion to retain all existing positions in the areas of Government, International Relations, Natural Resources, and Social Policy.