Federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines: Issues (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 23, 2009 |
| Report Number |
RS22363 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Eric A. Fischer, Senior Specialist in Science and Technology |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The federal Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG) are a set of technicalstandards for voting systems that use computers to assist in recording or counting votes.They were released in December 2005 and will go into effect in December 2007. Theywill replace the 2002 version of the federal voluntary Voting Systems Standards (VSS).The VVSG are a partial revision of the VSS, with revision focused mainly onaccessibility, usability, and security. Several issues have been raised about the VVSGthat may require congressional attention. Among them is the question of timing. Somevendors claim that there needs to be more time for technology development before thenew guidelines become effective; some activists argue that problems with votingsystems, and federal requirements, demand more rapid implementation of the VVSG.It is generally considered unlikely that the guidelines will have much direct impact onvoting systems used in 2006. One exception may be provisions relating to paper-ballotaudit trails, which several states now require to be used in conjunction with electronicvoting systems. The VVSG will be voluntary, but some observers believe that aregulatory approach would be more appropriate given the importance of elections to thedemocratic process. However, since many states require that voting systems becertified, vendors are expected to treat the VVSG in the same way they have treated theVSS - as effectively mandatory. For more detail, see CRS Report RL33146, FederalVoluntary Voting System Guidelines: Summary and Analysis of Issues, by Eric A.Fischer.
