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1 (October 10, 2002)

handle is hein.crs/crsmthabamk0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS20898 Updated October 10, 2002 Elections Reform: Overview and Issues Kevin J. Coleman Analyst in American National Government Government and Finance Division Eric A. Fischer Senior Specialist in Science and Technology Resources, Science, and Industry Division Summary The remarkable circumstances of the 2000 Presidential election are quite unlikely to be repeated, but Florida's role in determining the outcome may be remembered as a turning point with respect to the nation's election system. Previously obscure details of voting and vote counting have become the focus of public attention, and various state and national commissions have issued reports or recommendations on changing the voting process. Some states have made plans or have already begun to replace voting equipment and adopt other improvements before the 2002 election cycle, while others are considering similar changes. As Congress considers legislation to reform the voting process, a number of issues have emerged as part of the debate: the strengths and weaknesses of different types of voting systems; voting and registration problems and irregularities; problems for military and overseas voters; and the federal role in election administration. The House and Senate passed different versions of election reform legislation (H.R. 3295), and differences have been resolved in conference (H.Rept. 107-730). For additional information, see the CRS Electronic Briefing Book on Election Reform. This report will be updated periodically to reflect new developments. Voting Systems After election day 2000, the media focused attention on specific problems with punchcard voting. Since then, however, broader questions have arisen about error rates, costs, counting standards, accessibility, and other issues, as election officials consider upgrading current systems. Elections in the United States are administered at the state and local level, and the federal government currently does not set mandatory standards for voting systems, nor does it provide funding to state and local jurisdictions for the administration of elections; however, H.R. 3295, the Help America Vote Act of 2002, Congressional Research Service *o The Library of Congress CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web

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