CAVO Promotes Open Source Voting in Documentary and Legislation

The California Association of Voting Officials (CAVO), and OSI Affiliate Member, is working on several fronts to promote the adoption of open source software in voting systems. In addition to being featured in an upcoming documentary, the group has recently partnered with a California-based elections reform group, focused on limiting the influence of “big money” in politics. Their work has recently seen success at the federal level in the US as well.

CAVO’s Brent Turner will appear in open source voting documentary, “The Real Activist.” Slated for release this summer, the film will include an interview with Brent Turner of OSI Affiliate Member CAVO, as well as coverage of the groups work to promote open source software within US elections’ voting systems. The documentary highlights Turner’s efforts and CAVO’s mission to secure the United States election systems through GPL licensed open source software. Famed narrator Peter Coyote also stars in the film along with former CIA Director R. James Woolsey and many political notables.

One of CAVO’s (www.cavo-us.org) recent successes has been to involve California Clean Money in the push for state legislation, as well as the solidification of the San Francisco open source voting system project.

Turner, along with Bash Shell creator Brian Fox, have been pushing to include open source language in voting legislation, and have secured interest from Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who recently introduced the “Securing America’s Elections Act“. Fox, who also serves a National Association of Voting Officials Board Member, said, “We are pleased to see Congresswoman Gabbard leading the country toward safe and secure election systems. The open source software language in her legislation, in addition to the necessary paper ballot component, will give appropriate security direction to the nation’s election officials. Congresswoman Gabbard is appreciated as a pioneer advocating the science of protecting our democracy.”

“The language in the Gabbard bill is a good start ” adds Turner, “the race is on to see if we can get the election system secured before it’s too late.”

People interested in the subject of open source voting are invited to attend the CAVO TOWN HALL meeting on March 28th in San Francisco, California.