Help America Vote Act Summary

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Help America Vote ActSummary

• Chet Culver
• Sandy Steinbach Jolene Franken
• Iowa Secretary of States Office
• ISAC Annual Meeting Nov. 20, 2002

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Disclaimer

• Historic piece of federal legislation
• This is our best thinking and analysis to this
  point
• Still have questions about some parts
• Wanted to take this opportunity to share as much
  information as possible, as soon as possible

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Disclaimer continued

• Packets provided. Well send additional
  information when available via email.
• Need your input, advice help as we work on Iowa
  legislative changes for this year.

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Overview of H.A.V.A.

• 9 Parts or Titles
• Payments to Iowa to replace certain voting
  machines Chet
• Create Standards Board, Commission Board of
  Advisors Jolene
• Uniform nondiscriminatory election technology
  administration requirements Sandy

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H.A.V.A. Overview Continued

• Enforcement See Constitutional Project Summary
• Help America Vote College Program Chet
• Help America Vote Foundation Chet

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H.A.V.A. Overview continued

• Voting Rights of Military Members and Overseas
  Citizens Sandy
• Transition Provisions Miscellaneous See
  Constitutional Project Summary
• Provisions See Constitutional Project Summary

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Title IEarly Payments to States

• 5 million minimum
• Money to replace punch card and lever voting
  machines used in the 2000 General Election.
• 131 Iowa Precincts / 7 counties
• Must meet all current federal laws equipment
  requirements of the legislation.

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Early Payments to States cont.

• Must ensure ALL punch card and/or lever equipment
  will be replaced in time for the November 2004
  Election.
• Counties eligible for federal funding if changes
  made after November 2000.
• Money to be used to improve election
  administration with voter education, training
  improved accessibility.

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2003 Legislative Action Required

• Iowa Legislature needs to set up an Election
  Fund to receive federal dollars before these
  changes can be implemented.
• Without the fund NOTHING happens. No State money
  required for first 5m.
• 5 state match required after first 5m

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Title II

• Standards Board,
• National Commission
• and Board of Advisors

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Election Assistance Commission Standards Board

• (EACSB)
• Review voluntary voting system guidelines and the
  voluntary guidance procedures
• 110 members 1 state official / 1 local
  official. Differing political parties by
  January 21, 2003.

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Title II - National Commission Board of Advisors

• Create National Commission
• President will appoint with 4 full time members
  in 2003
• National Election Assistance Board of Advisors
• 37 member Board of Advisors to advise Election
  Assistance Committee

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Title II Grants Pilot Money Commission
Review

• Authorized to award grants to carry out voter
  education activities, including
• simulated national elections and school forums,
• speeches and debates by local candidates,
• quiz team competitions

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Grants continued

• New Technology equipment pilot
• 10 million authorized available in 2003
• Trial report to Congress
• Language accessibility

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Title III

• Uniform Nondiscriminatory Election Technology
  Administration Requirements

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6 Parts of Title III

• Voting Information Requirements
• New Voter Registration Application
• Statewide Voter Registration List
• Voter Registration by Mail
• Provisional Voting Requirements
• Voting System Standards

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Voting Information Requirements

• Effective January 1, 2003
• Election official responsible for posting voting
  information at each polling place
• In addition to Iowas requirements add
• Date and polling place hours of operation
• ID instructions for mail-in registrants
• Voting rights under federal state laws

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New Voter Registration Applications

• Are you a citizen of the United States of
  America? ? Yes ? No
• Will you be 18 years of age on or before election
  day? ? Yes ? No
• If you checked No in response to either of these
  questions, do not complete this form.
• If you submit this form by mail and you are
  registering to vote for the first time in Iowa
  enclose a copy of one of the following documents
  that is current and shows your name and address
• A. Current or valid photo identification card
• B. Current utility bill, bank statement,
  government check, paycheck or other government
• document
• You do not need to send any of the documents
  listed above if you include your driver license
  number or the last 4 digits of your social
  security number and this information can be
  verified.

Effective January 1, 2003
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Voter Registration

• Effective January 1, 2003
• Requires valid drivers license number or last
  four digits of Social Security number
• If applicant has neither the state shall assign
  the applicant a number
• Requirements apply to new registrants

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Computerized StatewideVoter Registration List

• Effective January 1, 2004
• An interactive computerized statewide voter
  registration list defined, maintained and
  administered at the state level.
• Must be coordinated with other state agency
  databases.
• Any election official may obtain immediate
  electronic access to the information contained in
  the computerized list.

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Voter Registration by Mail

• Effective January 1, 2004
• Registration form must include a valid drivers
  license number or last four digits of Social
  Security number
• OR have one of the following attached
• a copy of a current valid photo ID
• Copy of a current utility bill, bank statement,
  government check, paycheck or other government
  document that shows the name and address of the
  voter

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Voter Registration by Mail cont.

• If the voter does not include any of the above
• If the voter votes in person the voter would need
  to show one of the above items
• If the voter votes by mail, the voter would need
  to submit a copy of the above items
• If the voter does not show or submit one of the
  above the ballot is treated as a provisional
  ballot after January 1, 2004.

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Provisional VotingRequirements

• Effective January 1, 2004
• Very similar to Iowa system
• Precinct officials must tell voters they have a
  right to cast a provisional ballot
• Voters must be told why ballot was rejected

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Voting System Standards

• Effective January 1, 2006
• Allow voter to verify who they voted for and make
  any changes to their vote before the ballot is
  cast and counted
• System to notify voter of overvote

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Voting System Standards cont.

• Ensure that any notification required preserves
  the privacy of the voter and the secrecy of the
  ballot
• Produce a permanent record with manual audit
  capacity

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Voting System Standards cont.

• Provide to persons with disabilities the same
  accessibility to voting as other voters
• Define uniform and non-discriminatory standards
  for what constitutes a vote.

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Title VCollege Poll Worker Plan

• Encourages college students to serve as
  non-partisan poll workers unless Iowa law changes
  only for non-partisan elections
• Encourages state local governments to utilize
  the resource the students provide
• Develops materials, sponsors seminars and
  workshops, public service ads, provides grants
• Materials provided free of charge to colleges

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Title VIHelp America Vote Foundation

• Mobilizes secondary school students to
  participate as nonpartisan poll workers and
  assistants, to the extent permitted under state
  law

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Title VIIMilitary Overseas Voting

• Report the number of absentee ballots sent to
  uniform and overseas voters and the number of
  absentee ballots returned within 90 days of a
  federal election.
• Military voters request for absentee ballots
  shall be used for two regularly scheduled general
  elections.

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Title VII continued

• Cannot refuse to accept or process a valid voter
  registration application or absentee ballot
  request on the grounds that it arrived too early.
• Must provide a reason why voter registration
  application or absent ballot application was
  rejected.

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2003 Action ASAP

• Establish the State Election Fund
• New Voter Registration Form (January 1, 2003)
• Machinery replacement
• State Plan submitted plans for implementation
  public comments
• Centralized Computer Voter Registration System
  Development

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Other HAVA Issues to Consider

• Definition of a vote
• Recount provisions
• Additional poll workers
• Only D R?
• 16-17 year olds?
• College students?
• SEAT Legislation

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Additional S.O.S. 2003 Legislative Issues to
Consider

• Restore SOS Elections and Voter Registration
  Budget/Funding
• Redistricting clean-up
• Campaign Finance Reform
• Consolidation of Elections to Save Money