Local Election Officials and Accountability after HAVA

Local election officials have been put in a bind since the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) was passed by Congress in 2002. Federal and state requirements limit their control over voting processes, and there have been many problems with the companies that provide voting equipment and services. Besides the pains of dealing with these companies from a position of weakness, the biggest problem is accountability and confidence in the voting process. A Zogby poll done in August 2006 found that over 2.5 million non-registered citizens do not bother to register to vote because they do not trust the vote-counting processes and procedures.

Voters Unite has just published a study examining these problems, and showing how some local governments have successfully dealt with them. It's worth a look from local election officials and those who feel their local government's officials are not doing enough.