California Ready For Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA)
Do you think this will help prevent voter fraud?
Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA)
This year marks the first election cycle during which the full complement of Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) requirements will be in place. Passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Bush on October 29, 2002, HAVA embodies the most sweeping election reform law since the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and, in many ways, the most basic changes to election law ever enacted. Pursuant to its provisions, every state must examine the way it promotes democracy and implements fundamental changes to the electoral process.
Some of the changes under the new HAVA requirements will affect the way we register to vote, the way we cast ballots and the way we exercise our power as citizens.
California, as a national leader in election reform, is now well positioned to take on these new responsibilities. The requirements of HAVA are complex and change is never easy. This is especially true in a state with the geographic and demographic diversity of California, and nearly 16 million registered voters – twice as many registered voters as the next largest state. But California is now well on its way to putting in place the promise of HAVA.
The most visible changes to the election process for voters include:
New Voting Equipment
New voting equipment is being purchased and deployed to meet new voting system standards. These voting system changes are intended to improve the process and enable almost every voter to vote independently and confidentially. Voters should now be able to review their ballot to verify their choices and to look for “errorsâ€
