Hillary introduces Count Every Vote Act in Senate, Stephanie Tubbs Jones in the House

[John Q. Citizen]

Senate Bill (S. 804)
House bill (H.R. 1381).



http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=23648&tr=y&auid=2441608

Summary of the Count Every Vote Act of 2007 (CEVA)

Title I – Voter Verification and Auditing

CEVA requires all voting systems to produce or require the use of a voter-verified paper ballot or record suitable for manual audits. The VVPAT constitutes the official record for any recount.
CEVA requires that at least one machine per precinct must allow voters with disabilities and language minority voters to cast a vote in a private and independent manner.
Title II – Provisional Ballots

CEVA requires provisional ballots to be counted even if voters are sent to the wrong precinct or polling place, as long as they are voting in the correct county.
CEVA requires the appropriate state official to treat a provisional ballot form as a voter registration application if he or she concludes that the voter submitting a provisional ballot is not registered to vote in the election.
Title III – Amendments to HAVA

Long lines - To address the problem of waiting lines at the polls, CEVA mandates that EAC issue standards to ensure that states meet minimum standards for the allocation of voting systems and poll workers for each precinct. States would prepare plans to prevent long wait lines; states with excessive wait times would develop remedial plans with the EAC.
Emergency Ballots - CEVA would allow voters to cast an emergency ballot if there is a failure while they are waiting at a polling place. Any emergency paper ballot that is cast shall be counted in the same manner as a regular ballot, unless the individual casting the ballot would have been required to cast a provisional ballot.
No Excuse Absentee Ballots - CEVA mandates that no reason shall be required to request an absentee ballot to vote by mail in a federal election.
Poll Worker Training - CEVA requires states to provide training to poll workers in advance of elections. The bill also creates a grant program that would provide funds to states for the education and training of poll workers.
Purging - CEVA requires each state to provide public notice, at least 45 days before an election, of all names removed from a voter registration list. Purging must be done in a form and manner prescribed by the Election Assistance Commission. States must also give individuals an opportunity to cure the problem that led to the purge.
Election Day Registration - CEVA requires states to permit individuals to register to vote in a federal election on the day of such election.
Early voting - CEVA requires early voting in each state. This requirement would encourage people to vote by allowing them to vote at times convenient for them and avoid long lines on Election Day.
Title IV – Voter Registration and Identification

CEVA requires election officials to accept and process registration applications unless there is a material omission of information that specifically affects the eligibility of the voter.
Title V – Impartial Election Administrators

CEVA makes it unlawful for chief state election officials or those who own or serve as the CEO, COO, CFO or President of an entity that designs or manufactures a voting system to take part in certain prohibited campaign activities with respect to any election for federal office.
Title VI – Ending Minority Vote Suppression

CEVA allows for a private right of action for individuals or entities to bring suit against those who use deceptive acts to keep a voter from voting. Amends 42 U.S.C. § 1971b to include deceptive acts, and provides for a criminal penalty under Title 18.
Title VII – Civic Participation by Ex-Offenders

CEVA requires states to end the practice of prohibiting convicted felons who have completed their prison term, parole or probation to vote.
Title VIII – Holiday for Voting

CEVA requires a public federal holiday on Election Day. This would give more voters time to cast ballots, and allow more qualified people to serve as poll workers.
Title IX – Additional Improvements to Election Procedures

CEVA would create a study on the feasibility of establishing a “Democracy Index”; a ranking system for assessing and comparing the quality of each state’s election administration procedures.
Title X – Strengthening the Election Assistance Commission

CEVA extends the authorization of the Election Assistance Commission
CEVA requires the Election Assistance Commission to submit budget estimates to the Congress.

[don954]

1. This is a good bill from what i can tell.

It goes into the majority of the issues that have unbalanced our elections, especially chief state election officials serving on campaigns....

[Land Shark]

9. Specifically on the electronic voting technology/audit portions it's a BAD bill

Talking to activists today, nobody likes the VVPAT portions. HEck, Avi Rubin announced on his blog recently, and was reprinted on bradblog today, that DREs with VVPAT or similar Are Not REASONABLE for use IN A DEMOCRACY.

OK to use them in your corporate elections if you really want to.

on edit: If you want a link to discussion of Prof Avi Rubin's remarks, see http://www.bradblog.com/?p=4242

The rest of the bill I am not commenting on, perhaps it's very good. But the electronic voting systems provisions are as bad or worse than the Holt bill (version 2) which is pretty bad, worse by far than Holt I.

[Prophet 451]

2. Just one problem

Making a law is one thing. Making inveterate criminals obey it is something quite different.

Granted, this is a good start but IIRC, voter purges were already banned within 45 days of an election but they went ahead and did it anyway. Had Florida's election law been followed in 2000, Al Gore would probably be finishing out his second term right now (Florida law requires a state-wide recount where the margin is that clase, that law was simply ignored in 2000).

Like I say, it's a good start but unless there's some enforcement apparatus, it may not matter.

[endarkenment]

3. Looks good to me.

Good for Senator Clinton and Representative Tubbs. Of course the disgusting fools on the other side of the aisle will block this bill along with everything else, but that is why we need to increase our majority in 09 and get our candidate in the white house.

[w4rma]

4. Very good. I like what I see. (nt)

[L. Coyote]

5. AYE. Who can vote against this? Will be interesting to see the debates. n/t

[L. Coyote]

6. Name this Holiday. Anything but FITZMAS.

Election Day is boring. Any ideas on what to call "Election Day" ??

Would Republicans object to "Democracy Day" because it's too cloe to "Democrat" Day?

[FogerRox]

10. Voting day? National Voting day?

National mandatory day off to vote?

[Liberty Belle]

7. Yes, but how are those votes counted? We need hand-counting;

central tabulators can flip votes for entire regions.

[Wilms]

8. Lots of good stuff. But early and absentee voting are ripe for fraud.

They're tough to audit, too.

Combined with a Federal Holiday, where many will elect to take a trip out of town... :scared: