Statement from Donna Edwards

Dear Friends and Supporters,

The final votes are counted and we've fallen short by just a few.

Nonetheless, I am energized and humbled by what we�ve accomplished in these last several weeks. I take seriously the confidence that the voters of the 4th Congressional District have shown in me. When I began this campaign, I spoke to the failed representation of the seven-term incumbent. I also expressed great optimism about our capacity to be better, bolder, and more true to who we are. With your hard work and your votes, I tried to demonstrate that governing and legislating are a set of choices. We can choose peace and diplomacy over war. We can choose energy independence and environmental stewardship over waste and profiteering. We can choose health care for all, quality education, living wage jobs, and forward-thinking economic development over protection of wealth and wealthy special interests. As your member of Congress, I committed to you that I would listen and with your guidance make the right choices for our communities, our counties, and our country. That commitment remains true, whatever has been the outcome of this election.

By now we all know of the multiple layers of failures in our election system that played out most profoundly in the contest for the Democratic nomination for the 4th Congressional seat. Whether these failures happened as a result of incompetence, inefficiency or some other more nefarious explanation, they are unacceptable. The voters of Maryland and throughout this country deserve an election that is conducted professionally and securely. We deserve transparency in the conduct of the election; trained and skilled elections officials, workers, and technicians; a system whether electronic or paper that is failsafe and able to be audited; and security mechanisms that are enforced strictly so as not to compromise the integrity of the election. I urge the State Board of Elections and the Maryland General Assembly to conduct a thorough investigation, machine-by-machine, precinct-by-precinct of the 2006 primary election and of the multiple layers of administrative and technical failures. Maryland is now a lens through which others are looking at the conduct of elections -- we need to get it right. Voters should be confident in the process and the results. We should have no reason after the election to question the results or to forever wonder whether we trust the outcome.

Throughout this election, I have tried to conduct myself with the dignity and integrity befitting the office that I sought. I believe firmly that the voters deserve no less. I remain committed to the people of the 4th Congressional District � to our values and our promise. I believe that every elected official must be held accountable to his or her record and should be expected to do the business of the people everyday. I trust that Mr. Wynn will be challenged to listen to the voices that spoke so strongly at the polls on election day as he serves this next term in Congress. I look forward to continuing to be a voice for accountability and for change.

Thank you for volunteering and for voting. Thank you for this tremendous opportunity.

Respectfully,

Donna Edwards

P.S. I hope you will join me in working to elect Mayor Martin O'Malley and Delegate Anthony Brown as our next Governor and Lt. Governor and to ensure that we continue the strong tradition of Democratic leadership in the United States' Senate by electing Rep. Ben Cardin as our next senator. Please vote on Tuesday, November 7, 2006.

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