Kevin J. Coleman
Analyst in Elections
Eric A. Fischer
Senior Specialist in Science and Technology
Since the November 2000 presidential election, previously obscure details of voting and vote counting have been the focus of ongoing public attention and legislative action at the state and federal levels. The Help America Vote Act (HAVA, P.L. 107-252) was enacted in October 2002, and the states have made additional changes to election laws and procedures since. Numerous bills to amend HAVA or otherwise reform the electoral process have been considered in the Congress as well, although none have been enacted. HAVA created a new federal agency (the Election Assistance Commission), set requirements for various aspects of election administration, and provided federal funding. However, the law did not supplant state and local control over election administration.
In the 111th Congress, the House recently passed H.R. 512 that would prohibit a state’s chief election official from actively participating in a federal election campaign, unless the official or an immediate family member was the candidate. The bill was passed on September 29, 2010. Congress also enacted a new military and overseas citizens voting law was approved and signed into law in October 2009 as part of the defense authorization act (P.L. 111-84). A number of election reform bills have been reported in the House as well. The reported bills would establish universal absentee voting (H.R. 1604), provide grants for voluntary absentee ballot tracking (H.R. 2510), and make improvements to military voting procedures (H.R. 2393).
For FY2011, the President’s budget request includes $16.8 million for the EAC but does not include new funding for election reform payments to the states. The Senate Appropriations Committee (S.Rept. 111-238) and the House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee recommended the same amount for the EAC, with no election reform payments to the states.
For FY2010, the President’s budget request included $16.5 million for the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and $106 million for election reform payments to states. The House and Senate bills (H.R. 3170, S. 1432) would have provided about the same amount for the EAC; the House bill would have provided nearly the same amount for election payments, while the Senate bill called for $52 million in election payments. The Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 3288), which was signed by the President on December 16, 2009, included $17.9 million for the EAC and $75 million for election reform programs.
In the 110th Congress, election reform issues included HAVA funding, paper audit trails for electronic voting systems, military and overseas voting, and deceptive practices and voter intimidation in elections. The House approved two bills and the Senate approved one, but none were enacted. The House passed H.R. 1281, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007, on June 25, 2008, and H.R. 6625, the Veteran Voting Support Act, on September 17. The Senate passed S. 3073, the Military Voting Protection Act of 2008, on October 1, 2008.
Date of Report: October 1, 2010
Number of Pages: 14
Order Number: RS20898
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
Analyst in Elections
Eric A. Fischer
Senior Specialist in Science and Technology
Since the November 2000 presidential election, previously obscure details of voting and vote counting have been the focus of ongoing public attention and legislative action at the state and federal levels. The Help America Vote Act (HAVA, P.L. 107-252) was enacted in October 2002, and the states have made additional changes to election laws and procedures since. Numerous bills to amend HAVA or otherwise reform the electoral process have been considered in the Congress as well, although none have been enacted. HAVA created a new federal agency (the Election Assistance Commission), set requirements for various aspects of election administration, and provided federal funding. However, the law did not supplant state and local control over election administration.
In the 111th Congress, the House recently passed H.R. 512 that would prohibit a state’s chief election official from actively participating in a federal election campaign, unless the official or an immediate family member was the candidate. The bill was passed on September 29, 2010. Congress also enacted a new military and overseas citizens voting law was approved and signed into law in October 2009 as part of the defense authorization act (P.L. 111-84). A number of election reform bills have been reported in the House as well. The reported bills would establish universal absentee voting (H.R. 1604), provide grants for voluntary absentee ballot tracking (H.R. 2510), and make improvements to military voting procedures (H.R. 2393).
For FY2011, the President’s budget request includes $16.8 million for the EAC but does not include new funding for election reform payments to the states. The Senate Appropriations Committee (S.Rept. 111-238) and the House Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee recommended the same amount for the EAC, with no election reform payments to the states.
For FY2010, the President’s budget request included $16.5 million for the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and $106 million for election reform payments to states. The House and Senate bills (H.R. 3170, S. 1432) would have provided about the same amount for the EAC; the House bill would have provided nearly the same amount for election payments, while the Senate bill called for $52 million in election payments. The Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 3288), which was signed by the President on December 16, 2009, included $17.9 million for the EAC and $75 million for election reform programs.
In the 110th Congress, election reform issues included HAVA funding, paper audit trails for electronic voting systems, military and overseas voting, and deceptive practices and voter intimidation in elections. The House approved two bills and the Senate approved one, but none were enacted. The House passed H.R. 1281, the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2007, on June 25, 2008, and H.R. 6625, the Veteran Voting Support Act, on September 17. The Senate passed S. 3073, the Military Voting Protection Act of 2008, on October 1, 2008.
Date of Report: October 1, 2010
Number of Pages: 14
Order Number: RS20898
Price: $29.95
Follow us on TWITTER at http://www.twitter.com/alertsPHP or #CRSreports
Document available via e-mail as a pdf file or in paper form.
To order, e-mail Penny Hill Press or call us at 301-253-0881. Provide a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card number, expiration date, and name on the card. Indicate whether you want e-mail or postal delivery. Phone orders are preferred and receive priority processing.
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