Election Reform

The 2000 election brought to light a myriad of problems that exist in our country's election system. After more than 1 ½ years of debate, Congress responded with the passage of the Help America Vote Act, legislation which I helped author. In passing this legislation, Congress made a more than $3 billion financial commitment to states and local governments to give them the appropriate resources to make the necessary changes to their election administration and systems, as well as to improve voter education and accessibility for people with disabilities.

As Vice-Chair of the Democratic Special Committee on Election Reform, I have been an outspoken leader in the fight for true election reform. My commitment to the implementation of the Help America Vote Act continues in the 108th Congress, where I have offered amendments and lead efforts to increase funding for election reform by well over $200 million.

In January 2001, I led the walkout of the Congressional Black Caucus during the certification process of Florida's electoral votes for the controversial 2000 election, advocating that Florida's electoral votes not be allowed because thousands of minority voters were denied the right to vote.

In 2003, I introduced the Voter Outreach and Turnout Expansion (VOTE) Act, the most comprehensive election reform legislation of the 108th Congress. The VOTE Act allows voters to vote in person up to three weeks before election day, register to vote at the polling location on the day of an election, vote absentee for any reason, and be provided with no less than two hours of leave from their jobs to vote on election day. Additionally, the legislation requires the federal government to treat Election Day as it would any other federal holiday, including providing non-essential government employees with the day off to allow them to vote and work at polling locations.

I am committed to ensuring that America's election system is fair and reliable so that the travesties of the 2000 election will never again be realized.