Feds Screwing Up HAVA Implementation (& Other Voting News)

By DHinMI

It's nice that the Help America Vote Act became law so the federal government could pressure local election administrators to employ best practices and use effective equipment.  Too bad the feds can't get around to doing their share:

States and counties waiting for additional guidelines from the federal government will be hard-pressed to get new voting systems deployed before next year’s deadline for compliance with the Help America Vote Act, according to the Information Technology Association of America.

Even under a best-case scenario it will be difficult for states and counties to meet the HAVA deadlines for purchase and implementation of accessible voting systems, said Michael Kerr, director of Arlington, Va.-based ITAA’s Election Technology Council in testimony before the Election Assistance Commission.

“Recognizing that it often takes three to six months for counties to select a system and complete contracts — and many more months for shipping, acceptance and customizations — waiting for the 2005 [guidelines] will effectively preclude counties and states from completing their transition to new voting technology under the deadlines established by HAVA,” he said...

The Election Assistance Commission should advise election officials that waiting for the guidelines to be implemented may jeopardize HAVA deadline compliance, Kerr said.

He suggested that instead of waiting, the commission should assure jurisdictions that equipment properly certified to existing standards can produce secure, accurate and reliable elections, thus meeting HAVA’s functional requirements.

Finally, the systems certified to meet the 2002 HAVA standards should be grandfathered under the new 2005 guidelines.

The problems aren't only at the national level, either.  In New York, the state Board of Elections is running out of time to comply with the new regulations in time for the 2006 election because the legislature still hasn't passed the necessary legislation.  Among other problems, it means that in 2006 NYC could still be using its 7,639 40 year-old lever-operated voting machines. 

The voting news isn't all bad, however.  As discussed last week, on Friday the election supervisor in Miami-Dade county recommended to the county commission that they scrap touchscreen voting and return to paper ballots tabulated by optical scanners.  According to the Miami Herald, the commission seems likely to act on the recommendation.

Score one for efficient and and reliable voting. 

Comments

[DHinMI]

One interesting thing to watch for should NY not meet the HAVA deadline is to see what would happen if there is a close election. Based on the recent Repub method of litigating any close lose--like Washington, Gore/Bush 2000, etc--I wouldn't be surprised to see the GOP sue over a loss based in part on the state's failure to meet the HAVA requirements.

[emptywheel]

You mean after some poor soul loses 76-17 to Spitzer?

Oh, I get it, you were talking about other races...

[Bill from Dover]

He suggested that instead of waiting, the commission should assure jurisdictions that equipment properly certified to existing standards can produce secure, accurate and reliable elections, thus meeting HAVA’s functional requirements.

Oh, you mean just like the ones that were used in Ohio?

[Jerry]

Thanks for writing about HAVA. It seems that the requirement to have new machines is one of the few parts of the law that is expected to stay on schedule, as Ellen Theisen details here:
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0506/S00032.htm

[genesis technology group]

music video girl walks shirtless down street amazon co uk wasted little dj s music view music lyrics for say the things you used to say

[genesis follow you follow me lyric]

auto meter traditional chrome series island porsche providence rhode excel and auto text

[genesis follow you follow me lyric]

auto meter traditional chrome series island porsche providence rhode excel and auto text

[genesis rock group]

runescape fishing auto middlesex scion metlife auto