HAVA (Help America Vote Act) was designed to help states update antiquated voting systems so that hanging chads will be a thing of the past. However, despite allocating almost $4 billion dollars to do this, many states are slow to do it, even with the help of the Election Assistance Commission who reports this progress.
For instance, 5 states have spent less than 10% of the funding available to them (CT, MA, NH, NY, OK). While 12 states have spent less than 50% of the funding (AL, AK, AZ, DE, DC, FL, HI, ME, OR, SD, TN, WA, WI, WY). This would be more of concern if these states had antiquated machinery.
What should be of more concern is that, as of January 1, 2010, all voting systems may only contain software certified by the federal Election Assistance Commission. Not only are States limited to using systems that meet the guidelines established by the EAC, but they are also prohibited from using systems that have not been certified for use by the EAC. This essentially means all of the systems currently in place.
This could mean, based on who's running the show that certain vendors are favored with software that is breachable. Currently Dianne Feinstein has sponsored a bill S1487 that is co-sponsored by Dodd, Clinton and others. But it has some problems. Another bill HR 811 sponsered by Rush Holt and co-sponsored by 216 others (including all the Dems in the Iowa delegation) has more promise because it would be enacted before the 2008 election.
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