DNC Statement on "Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act"

This week the Elections Subcommittee of the House Administration Committee will begin a series of hearings on H.R. 811, the "Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act" introduced by Congressman Rush Holt (NJ-12). This legislation would require a voter verified paper ballot for every vote cast; require a routine random audit of the results in every federal election; increase security of voting systems, prohibit use of undisclosed software and wireless devices in voting systems; implement a ban on conflicts of interest between voting system vendors and test labs; and fund studies to improve accessibility for people with disabilities and those with language assistance needs:

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and DNC Voting Rights Institution Chair Donna Brazile issued the following statement in support of the "Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act":


"Few issues are more central to safeguarding our democracy than ensuring public confidence in the integrity of our election process. That confidence has been badly undermined by the serious and valid concerns about the reliability and security of electronic voting systems.

"This bill represents a giant step forward in improving election administration in this nation and in restoring the confidence of our citizens in the way our elections are run. Every eligible voter must not only be allowed to vote, but be assured that his or her vote will be counted accurately. We applaud the tireless work of Democrats who have developed and sponsored this bill and acted to move it through Committee and we urge the 110th Congress to move quickly to enact this critically important measure. We hope that the Congress will also act quickly provide the necessary funding and call on Republicans and the Bush Administration to support this legislation, which will restore confidence in our Democracy."