WHAT IS HAVA?

The federal Help America Vote Act of 2002 or HAVA was signed into law by the President in October 2002. It is intended to prevent the problems that were experienced in Florida at the November 2000 presidential election by providing for the modernization of voting systems, elections official and pollworker training, voter education, accessibility to voting systems by individuals with disabilities or with alternative language needs, a statewide database, a complaint procedure, provisional balloting, and other changes. Many of the reforms contained in HAVA are patterned after existing California State law. However, all of the provisions of HAVA are being implemented to ensure that every valid vote counts. For more information regarding the implementation of HAVA in California, please see www.MyVoteCounts.org