Ballot Integrity Act of 2007

Bill: 110-s-1487
Sponsor: Sen. Feinstein, Dianne [D-CA]
Introduced: 2007-05-24 in the Senate
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Absentee voting
Americans in foreign countries
Armed Forces and National Security
Ballots
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Computer software
Conflict of interests
Disabled
Economics and Public Finance
Election administration
Executive reorganization
Governmental investigations
Grants-in-aid
Illiteracy
Internet
Language and languages
Minorities
Science, Technology, Communications
Security measures
Soldier voting
Standards
State officials
Technological innovations
Test facilities
Third parties (U.S. politics)
Voter registration
Voting
Voting machines
Voting of the disabled
Voting rights
Wireless communication

Summary:
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: 
Ballot Integrity Act of 2007 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit a state or jurisdiction from purchasing or otherwise acquiring for use in a federal election a direct recording electronic voting system or other electronic voting system that does not produce a voter-verified paper record.
 
Directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to make grants for: (1) replacing or retrofitting direct recording electronic and certain other voting systems; and (2) research on voting technology improvements for the development of completely accessible voting systems.
 
Requires the voting system to: (1) require the use of or produce an individual, durable, voter-verified paper record of the voter's vote for inspection and verification before the voter's vote is cast and counted; and (2) provide the voter with an opportunity to correct any error before the paper record is preserved. 
 
Outlines durability and readability requirements.
 

 
Directs the EAC to study, test, and develop best practices to enhance the accessibility of vote verification mechanisms for individuals with disabilities, for language minorities, and for individuals with difficulties in literacy.
 
Modifies alternative language accessibility requirements.

Bans voting systems from at any time: (1) containing or using any software which has not been certified; or (2) containing, using, or being accessible by any wireless, power-line, or concealed communication device.
 
Prohibits any Internet connection for components of any voting device.
 
Requires security standards for voting systems used in federal elections.
 

 
Requires laboratories to meet standards prohibiting conflicts of interest as a condition of accreditation for testing of voting system hardware and software.
 
Requires each state to establish standards for local jurisdictions to use in conducting election audits.
 
Requires the Commission to establish an Audit Guidelines Development Task Force.
 
Adds federal election requirements pertaining, among other things, to absentee voting and third-party registration.
 
Requires the EAC to study the equitable distribution of voting systems, poll workers, and election resources. 
 
Prohibits campaign activities by Chief State Election Officials.
 
Outlines standards for purging voters from voter registration lists, including restoration of erroneously purged voters.
 
Requires each state to promulgate uniform, nondiscriminatory procedures allowing polling place access to international and domestic election observers. 
 
Provides for early voting.
 
Amends the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act regarding absentee ballots for military and overseas voters.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2007-08-02
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S10780-10781)
action_date: 2007-07-25
text: Committee on Rules and Administration. Hearings held.
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
action_date: 2007-05-24
text: Introduced in Senate