A stupid question

There will be more of these.

This is a story about how election reform organizations are pushing to require paper ballots for all votes cast — a laudable effort.

Responding to the electronic voting machine failures that marred the 2006 elections, 34 non-partisan election reform organizations launched a new campaign today urging Congress to enact legislation requiring a paper ballot for every vote cast. They expect this grassroots campaign to have broad public support and generate thousands of emails to the incoming Congress.

Many of the organizations have previously supported voter-verified paper audit trails (VVPAT), but now, like other citizens across the country, they recognize that electronic voting machines have been a national mistake.

"The e-voting machines are a threat to democracy. Putting a VVPAT on them is nothing more than a band- aid. It's like requiring a seat belt in a Ford Pinto. What good does it do when the Pinto explodes?" said Brad Friedman, who co-founded one of the organizations participating in the campaign.

The stupid question: Why are there at least 34 non-partisan election reform organizations? Seems to me there's a crying need for consolidation there.

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