Declaration for the Protection of Free and Fair Elections
When in the course of civic duty it becomes necessary for the citizens of a free republic to reclaim and reaffirm the foundation of their self-governance, a decent respect for the principles of liberty and accountability compels them to declare the causes which impel their resolve.
We hold these truths to be self-evident:That just governance can derive only from the consent of the governed;That the consent of the governed is expressed through free, fair, transparent, and verifiable elections;That elections must be observable, auditable, and accountable to the people themselves;That when elections are conducted in secrecy, confusion, or manipulation, consent is broken, and governance is no longer legitimate.
Therefore, to secure these essential foundations, we declare that elections must be conducted under standards that guarantee public verification, lawful participation, security of ballots, and protection of citizen sovereignty.
Therefore, to secure these essential foundations, we declare that elections must be conducted under standards that guarantee public verification, lawful participation, security of ballots, and protection of citizen sovereignty.
Principles of True Elections
That every citizen has the right to transparent observation of all stages of the election.
That every lawful voter must be properly authenticated before casting a ballot.
That every ballot must be protected through continuous, publicly observable custody.
That every vote must be accurately counted and publicly verifiable.
That voting must be free from intimidation, coercion, and surveillance.
That voter privacy must be preserved without obstructing fraud detection or correction.
That election management must be politically balanced and accountable.
That elections must be governed by public, auditable systems, not private or secret technologies.
That grievances concerning elections must be reviewed and resolved transparently before any certification of results.
That every lawful voter must be properly authenticated before casting a ballot.
That every ballot must be protected through continuous, publicly observable custody.
That every vote must be accurately counted and publicly verifiable.
That voting must be free from intimidation, coercion, and surveillance.
That voter privacy must be preserved without obstructing fraud detection or correction.
That election management must be politically balanced and accountable.
That elections must be governed by public, auditable systems, not private or secret technologies.
That grievances concerning elections must be reviewed and resolved transparently before any certification of results.
Grievances — Wrongs to Be Corrected
To preserve our liberty, we must acknowledge the failures that have endangered it:
Officials have hidden election processes behind barriers that exclude citizen observers.
Governments have allowed unverifiable electronic systems to replace auditable, observable elections.
Ballot custody has been broken, allowing opportunities for fraud and tampering.
Ineligible individuals have been permitted to request and cast ballots through weak authentication systems.
Voters have been subjected to intimidation, coercion, and unobservable voting processes.
Voter registration lists have been poorly maintained, bloated with ineligible names.
Election offices have operated without political balance, consolidating power within single-party control.
District lines have been manipulated to entrench power rather than represent citizens equally.
Election vulnerabilities have been concealed rather than promptly disclosed and corrected.
Citizens have been denied standing to challenge fraudulent practices and defend their rights.
Elections have been certified despite credible, unresolved grievances from the people.
Officials have hidden election processes behind barriers that exclude citizen observers.
Governments have allowed unverifiable electronic systems to replace auditable, observable elections.
Ballot custody has been broken, allowing opportunities for fraud and tampering.
Ineligible individuals have been permitted to request and cast ballots through weak authentication systems.
Voters have been subjected to intimidation, coercion, and unobservable voting processes.
Voter registration lists have been poorly maintained, bloated with ineligible names.
Election offices have operated without political balance, consolidating power within single-party control.
District lines have been manipulated to entrench power rather than represent citizens equally.
Election vulnerabilities have been concealed rather than promptly disclosed and corrected.
Citizens have been denied standing to challenge fraudulent practices and defend their rights.
Elections have been certified despite credible, unresolved grievances from the people.
Closing Aspiration
With firm reliance on the rights endowed to free citizens and the sacrifices of those who have defended liberty before us,We pledge to protect the integrity of every ballot, the voice of every lawful voter, and the principles of consent that sustain our republic —Not only for ourselves, but for all future generations who shall inherit this sacred trust.